


Being Human: Origins

by shions_heart



Series: Being Human [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Magic, Demon/Human Relationships, Explicit Sexual Content, Forbidden Love, Friendship, Loneliness, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Slow Build, Strangers to Lovers, Trust Issues, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-20 00:31:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 41,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8230024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shions_heart/pseuds/shions_heart
Summary: Kuroo Tetsurou is a witch's apprentice living above The Black Cat, a magic supply store where he also works. When his master leaves him for an assignment in China, and his best friends Oikawa Tooru and Iwaizumi Hajime abandon him for a working vacation on the beach, Kuroo commits the taboo and summons a demon to help him in the shop and help drive back the loneliness that lingers in the shadows.Only the demon he summons isn't the type of demon he expects, and he finds himself stuck with it with no idea of how to return it to where it belongs.





	1. i can't trust myself with my 3am shadow

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, I did it again!
> 
> This idea came to me way back in April when I saw Izzy's incredible art of a [demon!Kenma](https://twitter.com/LordIzxy/status/722176801028628480). I started wondering what type of story I could tell with Kenma as the demon, and this idea was born!
> 
> I'm very excited to share it with you! I wasn't planning on posting it until it was done and I completed other projects, but as a special Halloween treat I'm releasing it early! My goal is to have it complete by October 31st.
> 
> And now, without further ado, enjoy!

 

 

 

if i could begin to do  
something that does right by you  
i could do about anything  
i could even learn how to love

\--rebecca sugar, "love like you"  
from _steven universe_

* * *

 

 

 

"Hey, Oikawa."

"Hmm?"

"How often can you check up on someone before it's considered stalking?"

Silence greets this question, and Kuroo can hear the soft squeak of Oikawa's desk chair, as he spins around on it. He can picture his best friend as though he were seated in front of him, twirling a pen in his left hand, while he holds his phone in his right, glasses perched on his nose. He's probably still wearing his alien pajamas, seeing as it's early morning. Kuroo wonders if he slept at all last night, but decides to leave that question to Iwaizumi.

"You're on his Facebook again, aren't you?"

Kuroo cringes, glancing guiltily at the webpage open on his browser.

"Um . . ."

"Tetsu-chan," Oikawa says patiently, as though talking to a small child. "It's been three months."

"I know, I know."

"You have to let it go."

"I _know_."

Kuroo reaches for the trackpad, but instead of exiting the page, he scrolls down.

"He posted new pictures."

Oikawa sighs. "Good or bad?"

"Good, I think? He's with some other first years."

"Not Daishou?"

Kuroo shakes his head before remembering Oikawa can't see him. "No."

"Then I'm sure he's fine. You know you can always call _him_ and ask him how he's doing. If he hasn't blocked you online, he'll probably answer."

Kuroo makes a face and finally exits the screen. "That'd be awkward."

"And stalking his Facebook isn't?"

"Why did I call you again?"

"Because you're a loser who can't move on from a relationship that only lasted one summer and half a semester. Honestly, I didn't think you felt this strongly about him."

Kuroo sighs, leaning back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling. "I don't, really," he admits. "It's just . . . Daishou."

Oikawa hums in understanding. "If you ask me, your time would be better spent hexing that boyfriend-stealing snake. You know, Iwa-chan learned some pretty nasty spells in Hinokoku. We could try them out~"

For a brief moment Kuroo entertains the mental picture of Daishou Suguru's smirking face covered in boils or vomiting toads. But in the end, he shakes his head with a sigh.

"Thanks, but no thanks. That'd feel like stooping to his level. I don't want to be anything like him. Besides, he was my friend once . . ."

"Toilet paper his house then."

Kuroo grins. "Now _that's_ an idea I can get behind."

A bell rings downstairs, and Kuroo braces himself for the shout that follows.

"Tetsurou!"

Grimacing, Kuroo pushes back his chair to stand. "I gotta go. The boss is here."

"Ew. I'll stop by later, okay? Don't dwell on Shiba-chan!"

"Roger."

As Kuroo locks his phone and slides it into his pocket, he can't help but think that's easier said than done. He opens his door and jogs down the stairs from his apartment to the shop beneath it.

The Black Cat is an old shop, a supply store that's served many different covens for longer than the twenty-one years Kuroo's been alive. The owner, a prickly old man named Akimoto Reikoku, comes from one of the most powerful witch families in Eastern Japan. So when he offered to apprentice Kuroo in exchange for his help around the shop, Kuroo's parents had "strongly encouraged" him to take it.

Kuroo doesn't think he's particularly exceptional at magic. He's not nearly as intuitive as Oikawa, nor does he have the brute strength and power of Iwaizumi. But the old man said Kuro had potential, and apparently that was enough.

These days, however, Kuroo has been feeling more like a glorified servant than an apprentice. Akimoto has been spending more time away from the shop and less time actually teaching Kuroo anything.

Today is no exception.

"Tetsurou, the Council has called me to China for a mission. I need you to watch the shop while I'm gone."

Kuroo blinks. "Uh . . . for how long?"

Akimoto shrugs. "We'll see."

A vein twitches in Kuroo's forehead, and he struggles to keep his voice even. "Sir, with all due respect, the exam for my witch's license is in two months, and you haven't taught me everything I need to know."

Akimoto gestures to the bookshelves behind him. "You're a smart boy. Read and study and you'll pass."

Kuroo grinds his teeth. "That's not going to be enough. The physical—"

"I cannot refuse a mission from the Council," Akimoto says sharply. "Figure it out. Learning independence will help you grow stronger. Now, take inventory and make sure everything is in its place for you to open tomorrow. I leave tonight."

Kuroo manages a "yes, sir," through clenched teeth, before making his way into the backroom of the store.

There are boxes from all over the world stacked everywhere, and Kuroo has to make his way gingerly around precariously leaning towers to find the sheet that will tell him what they should have. Then comes opening each box individually, removing each item, checking it off the list, and then setting it aside to be stocked on the shelves later. It's tedious work.

In an effort to make the time pass more quickly, Kuroo gets out his phone to play music. As he's scrolling through his Spotify playlists, he spots one titled: "Yuuki."

An ache hits his chest so strongly, that he has to sit on the floor. He stares at his phone glumly. While it's true that his feelings for his ex were never as strong as say, Oikawa's feelings for Iwaizumi, Kuroo _had_ really liked the kid. He was young and adorable, and he looked at Kuroo like he hung the stars. Kuroo had liked that. Perhaps it was vain, but he liked feeling admirable. In return, he did his best to be a doting, romantic boyfriend. He pulled out all the stops. He set up elaborate dates and did whatever he could to make Yuuki happy.

Oikawa told him from the beginning he was trying too hard.

Perhaps he was.

Perhaps that's why it was so easy for Daishou to steal Yuuki away.

_Had it all felt not genuine . . .?_

Kuroo's still staring at his phone, contemplating his existence and the decisions that led him to this depressing point in his life, when a knock on the doorframe causes him to look up. Both Oikawa and Iwaizumi stand in the doorway, and when Kuroo carefully slides on his "everything's just dandy" mask, he can tell neither of them fall for it.

"When you said 'later,' I didn't expect that to mean 'within the next few minutes'," he says, standing quickly and slipping his phone back into his pocket. He smirks at Oikawa. "You miss me that much?"

Oikawa gives him a look that says, _I know what you're doing and we're definitely talking about it later_ before pasting on a sunny smile himself. "Naturally. It feels like I never get to see that handsome mug of yours these days," he says.

"Who's fault is that?" Kuroo asks, rolling his eyes. He gives Iwaizumi a small wave. "Hey."

"Hey," Iwaizumi says in return, waving back.

"I've been studying!" Oikawa says.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Kuroo muses, stroking his chin. "I was thinking of a _different_ s-word."

"Just because Tetsu-chan isn't getting laid, that doesn't mean he has to make fun of those who are," Oikawa says, sticking out his tongue. "And I _have_ been studying. Iwa-chan can vouch for me."

"It's true," Iwaizumi admits, crossing his arms over his chest. The movement makes the scar on his arm bulge. Kuroo always does his best to not stare, but the thick rope of red skin winds around his forearm from wrist to elbow, a souvenir from his time in Hinokoku. It's difficult to ignore, even though Kuroo knows Iwaizumi doesn't like talking about it.

"This dumbass has been studying non-stop. That's why I'm forcing him to go with me."

Kuroo's attention snaps back to Oikawa. "Go with him where?"

"We're going on vacation!" Oikawa beams. "To the beach!"

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes. "It's not a vacation. There's been reports of strange occurrences happening at some hotel. Possible seishin activity. My coven wants me to check it out, make sure it's nothing they need to worry about."

"They're letting him go with you?" Kuroo asks, surprised.

Iwaizumi gives him a grim smile. "They don't know he's coming."

"And it's on the _beach_ ," Oikawa interrupts loudly. "A perfect weekend getaway location!"

"Of course," Kuroo agrees, unable to fight back the sting of jealousy that pricks his chest.

"We'll be _working_ , Oikawa," Iwaizumi says.

"You can't work twenty-four hours a day, Iwa-chan~"

"How long will you be gone?" Kuroo interrupts, knowing it's selfish but hoping it won't be for very long.

"Two weeks," Iwaizumi answers, turning back to Kuroo.

"Don't miss me too much, Tetsu-chan!" Oikawa says with a wink.

Kuroo smirks. "You know you'll be texting me photos every five minutes," he says. "I won't have time to miss you." Even as he says this, however, he can feel his heart sinking into his stomach. Already he can taste the loneliness the next two weeks will bring him. It's not as though Kuroo doesn't have other friends. He just doesn't have very many _close_ friends. He's always been careful about keeping his private thoughts and feelings just that: private.

He knows all too well what happens when you trust someone you shouldn't.

Oikawa opens his mouth to make a retort, but Iwaizumi speaks first.

"Do you need any help back here? We don't have to leave until tomorrow."

Kuroo brightens. "Yeah, actually. That'd be awesome."

Oikawa plucks the list from Kuroo's hand, immediately taking charge of the organization. He sets Kuroo and Iwaizumi to work opening the boxes and setting into groups all the like products, going behind them to count and check off the items on the list. As they work, Iwaizumi leans closer to Kuroo.

"You gonna be okay with him gone?" he murmurs.

Kuroo blinks back at Iwaizumi, ignoring the panic that rises like acid in the back of his throat. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Iwaizumi frowns. "You know he tells me everything, right?"

Kuroo's smile becomes a grimace. "Gossipy bitch."

"Takes one to know one," Iwaizumi says pointedly.

Kuroo's momentarily stunned by Iwaizumi's quick response and can't help but laugh. "Touché."

"So . . . are you going to be okay?"

Kuroo pats Iwaizumi on the shoulder. "Don't worry about me, Iwaizumi. Go have fun on your not-vacation. Hunt ghosts, screw around, literally and figuratively . . . I'll be fine."

Iwaizumi looks like he wants to protest, but Oikawa cuts in with a loud clap of his hands. "Less talking, more working!"

Kuroo glances back at him. "I don't see why _we_ have to do all the heavy lifting while _you_ just stand there and look pretty."

"It's called _management,_ Tetsu-chan," Oikawa says, waggling the paper at him. "Maybe one day you'll be mature enough to handle such a position."

"I can handle many positions," Kuroo says with a smirk.

Beside him, Iwaizumi chokes on his spit.

Oikawa smiles serenely. "You're not sleeping your way up this corporate ladder, so get back to work."

Kuroo salutes, turning back to the boxes in front of him. As annoying as Oikawa can be, however, he's grateful for his presence. For his and Iwaizumi's. And when they make their leave a few hours later, he realizes that he hadn't once thought of Yuuki while working alongside them.

It's going to be a long two weeks.

 

 

***

 

 

Kuroo realizes quickly that watching the shop alone for a single morning or afternoon is nothing compared to working entire days in succession. The phone rings incessantly with people ordering deliveries, and since he's usually the one who _makes_ those deliveries, he finds himself having to rush back and forth from the shop to these people's homes, often coming back to find a patron waiting to check out at the front counter.

And those are the good customers. Others berate him for leaving the shop, and there are more than a couple thefts that take place that Kuroo doesn't even notice until taking inventory at the end of the day.

Things are falling apart.

He needs help.

Of course, he can't ask Oikawa to leave Iwaizumi for him. He can see how much fun the two of them are having. Oikawa sends him pictures nearly every hour, just like Kuroo said he would, updating him on everything that's occurring. Every once in a while he'll shoot Kuroo a more serious, _'you doing ok?'_

To which Kuroo always replies, _'purrfectly fancatstic!'_ until Oikawa threatens to block him for pun abuse.

Needless to say, things aren't purrfect, nor fancatstic, and Kuroo makes the decision halfway through the week to hire some help.

His first immediate thought is to ask Yuuki. But of course, the thought of actually _speaking_ to the kid makes him want to shrivel up and die. So he considers his other options and finally lands on an old high school volleyball teammate.

"This place is a mess," Yaku Morisuke declares, hands on his hips.

Kuroo looks around the shop, seeing the dark wooden shelves full of labeled jars, boxes, and pouches to his left. Each aisle is dedicated to different types of magic, and each brand is grouped together and specified. Behind the cashier counter are bookshelves full of old tomes organized chronologically (since modern magic is more popular than the old arts, those are nearer the top and middle where people can easily see them). These bookshelves extend past the counter into the small lounge area to the left of the front door, where people can make themselves at home to study or read or even practice some magic using samples of ingredients they will hopefully purchase afterwards.

The lighting may be dim (Kuroo prefers to call it 'comfortable lighting'), and the wooden floorboards creak a little, but Kuroo wouldn't call the store a _mess_ , and finds himself somewhat insulted on behalf of his home away from home.

"It's not that bad," he says, shaking his head.

Yaku walks over to the shelves, gesturing to the items on display. "What is this?"

"Uh. Is that a serious question?" Kuroo glances from the labels to Yaku and back again.

"What type of organization is this? Wait, no, never mind. I can _see_ there's nothing even resembling organization." Without further ado, Yaku starts taking things off the shelves, setting them on the floor.

"Whoa, whoa, wait, what are you doing?!" Kuroo demands, hurrying over.

"These should be separated by ingredient. You keep the plants on one shelf, the animal parts on another, minerals on another. You can't just jumble them all together like this!"

"They're organized by _spell_ ," Kuroo explains, setting the jars and pouches back on the shelves where they were. "That way if people are looking for an ingredient for a specific spell, they'll find it easily. The spells are alphabetized. See?" Kuroo taps the front of the shelf where there's a plaque for each row indicating the spells.

Yaku frowns. "There's no order to that. A lot of these spells use duplicate items; each ingredient is spread out all over the place."

"Right, so I know immediately when someone's bought something and I can replace it," Kuroo says with a nod. "It's a system that works for me, okay?"

Yaku sighs, stepping over to the counter then. "These books should be alphabetized by author," he says.

Kuroo rolls his eyes. "I do _not_ remember you being this bossy in high school. I hired you to be like, I don't know, a delivery boy or something. Not to micro-manage everything!"

"Are you even _allowed_ to hire me? Where's Akimoto-san?" Yaku asks, glancing around the shop.

"Do you want the job or not?" Kuroo asks, about ready to tear his hair out at this point.

"Do I have to wait in here for each delivery?" Yaku asks.

"Fuck, I don't care where you wait, just be here when I call you," Kuroo says, throwing his hands up in the air. He realizes this doesn't help the loneliness problem, but Yaku seems satisfied and doesn't badger him about the shop anymore, so Kuroo figures it's a win-win.

It's not that Kuroo isn't used to being alone. He's lived by himself on top of the shop ever since he became Akimoto's apprentice, seven years ago. He rode the bus to school, but his house was too far for his parents to pick him up and drop him off at the shop every day, and they didn't want him riding the bus alone after dark. So he moved in upstairs, and Skype'd with his parents every Saturday night with the new laptop they gave him as a going-away present. He missed them terribly, still does, but he's here to get stronger, to pass his exams and obtain his witch's license.

As Kuroo trudges up the stairs after he closes the shop, his phone display telling him it's 23:45, not having studied a single spell, he can't help but wonder if it's worth it.

 

 

 

"I have a terrible idea."

"Am I supposed to be surprised?"

"Funny. I've been up since six this morning; I'm really not in the mood."

"What's this about, Tetsu-chan?"

"I haven't been able to study since Akimoto left. I'm going to fail the exam if I don't get help somehow. A tutor or something, who can hang out at the shop and help me study in between customers."

"I don't see how that's a terrible idea . . ."

"Who's the most advanced in our coven, besides you and me?"

Oikawa pauses in thought, before replying with dread lacing his tone. "Tetsurou, no."

"I can't think of anyone else." Kuroo stares up at the ceiling in despair. It's Sunday, the one day the shop closes early, and he's lying on his bed completely exhausted. He knows he should be spending this time studying, but the fact is he doesn't even know where to start at this point.

"Daishou wouldn't tutor you out of the goodness of his heart. He'd want something in return."

"I know."

"You can't let him have anything, or he'll keep taking until he's sucked you dry."

"Gross, but I know that too."

"Maybe you can hire someone else to help you around the shop, not just doing deliveries. Then you'd have more time to study."

"Like who? I don't have anyone else I could ask, Oikawa. I've used up all my available resources."

"Well. Not . . . _all_ of them."

Kuroo closes his eyes, pressing his fingers into the corners of them. "He's not an option."

"I really don't understand you sometimes."

"Go screw your boyfriend. You're extremely unhelpful."

"You're going to need to talk to him eventually! You can't avoid him forever!"

Kuroo hangs up, pressing the top of his phone to his forehead briefly, before letting it fall to the side to bounce on the bed beside his ear. Hiring Yuuki _would_ be the simplest solution, but Kuroo's not even sure if the kid wants anything to do with him these days.

Turning, Kuroo buries his face into his pillows, wrapping his arms around both to smash them against his ears. Everything grows dark and silent, and he forces himself to think about nothing. He clears his mind, focusing on the blackness, on the muffled silence. Slowly, his heartbeat settles, his breathing growing even. Before he realizes it, he falls asleep.

 

 

 

He's unsure of what compels him to get up in the middle of the night. As he shuffles off the bed, he's dimly aware of his phone falling to the floor, its screen lighting up to show the time: 23:55.

He makes his way downstairs into the shop, certain now that he has a solution to his problem. He's not sure where this idea came from, and he knows it's probably stupid, but at the same time it feels ingenious. Making his way back behind the counter, he runs his fingers along the spines of the books there until he comes across the right one. Pulling it down, he opens it on the counter, squinting in the dark before he has the presence of mind to turn on the lamp beside the register.

After a few minutes of reading, Kuroo takes the book and some chalk over to the lounge area. He pushes aside the chairs and coffee table, lifting the rug to reveal the wooden planks beneath it. Getting on his knees, he draws a pentagram, using the symbols in the book above the spell. He sets up the candles around it in a circle, laying the necessary bones and herbs in the right places.

When he's done, he sits back on his heels, admiring his work. Pulling the book closer to him, he settles down with his legs crossed, hefting the book into his lap. He places his finger on the text, sliding it along the passage as he goes over it silently in his head. Everything seems a bit fuzzy in his exhaustion, but after a few tries he thinks he has it down.

Lifting his head, he holds his hand out toward the pentagram, speaking the spell confidently. The candlelight flickers. He speaks the spell again, feeling the pull of the magic in his gut, the pounding of it in his skull. Black smoke rises from the markings on the floor, writhing in the air. He repeats the spell more forcefully, feeling the strain behind his eyes and in his chest.

The smoke curls in on itself, swirling into a tight ball. It spins faster and faster until there's a loud CRACK. A blast of hot wind nearly knocks Kuroo over, and when he straightens the smoke disappears, and he's left with the demon he summoned.

It's smaller than Kuroo was expecting, around 60 cm on its hands and knees. It scrambles around in the circle, hissing, clawing at the floorboards with long, black nails that resemble claws. It's humanoid and naked, though there don't seem to be any genitals to speak of, and right above the curve of its ass, a long tail whips cautiously through the air. At the tip of the tail there's a sharp barb in the shape of an arrowhead, shining black in the candlelight. Black, feathered wings flap uselessly behind it; its wingspan about as long as its height. There are markings down its body as well; jagged lines like lightning trail down its sides from its armpits to its ankles. Its toenails are black and sharp too, carving white stripes into the wood beneath them as it continues to try and find a way out.

"Holy shit," Kuroo mutters, and when the demon lifts its head to snarl at him, he's taken aback by its expression. It seems angry, of course. But also . . . frightened.

It has light hair, which is strange considering the black markings, but then again what skin isn't marked is pale. The markings continue along its arms, from shoulders to hands, and they travel up the sides of its neck to its face, where they grow thinner, forming delicate swirls along the sides of its face to its temples and forehead where a diamond shape sits in the center. Long, curved horns protrude from either side of its head, and its eyes are large, nearly too large to be human and the irises are gold, bright gold. They flash dangerously, as the demon curls its lips, baring multiple sharp teeth in its small mouth. It hisses again, lunging at Kuroo, but the ring of candles protects him, and it falls back with a yelp.

One thing becomes very clear to him, then, as he looks from the creature in the pentagram to the page in the book on his lap.

He fucked up.

 

 

 

Of course Oikawa and Iwaizumi refuse to answer their phones. Kuroo curses and wishes they both get eaten by whatever spirit they're tracking. He immediately apologizes, but his frustration doesn't dissipate. He glances over at the circle where the demon is pacing back and forth on its hands and feet. Despite its humanoid appearance, it moves almost like a cat, stalking slowly around the border of the pentagram, just out of reach of the flames of the candles. Every once in a while Kuroo will see a flash from its glowing eyes, or the glistening of its sharp teeth, both of which send shivers down his spine, and he hunkers back down behind the front counter.

Glaring at his phone, he tries to think of what to do. It's after midnight, and the last thing he wants to do is admit to his master that he summoned a _demon_ of all things. Demon summoning is taboo in his coven. Some witches use demons to access magical abilities beyond their own capacities, but it's highly frowned upon, as demons are tricky and their magic is unstable. Wielding it is difficult, and requires a contract of some kind, and demons are always waiting for said contracts to be broken so they may eat the souls of the unfortunate witches that break them.

So, Akimoto is out of the question.

"See, this is why I need a teacher who can instruct me on how _not_ to summon strange demons from strange places." Kuroo stares down at his reflection in the dark screen of his phone, noting the bags under his eyes.

There is . . . one other person he can call, though Kuroo cringes at the very thought of it.

Still, desperate times . . .

 

 

 

Daishou sounds smugger than he ever has before, and that's saying a lot.

"So, you're telling me you attempted to summon an imp to help you in the store, and you summoned something else entirely."

"You don't have to sound so amused, but yes," Kuroo grumbles. "Can you help me get rid of it or what?"

Daishou hums softly in contemplation. Silence draws out between them, and Kuroo clutches his phone tighter in his hand.

"Beg me."

Kuroo groans, resting his fist against his forehead, pressing against the spot that's throbbing gently. "Come on, Daishou."

"Close, but not quite what I had in mind."

Kuroo sighs, grimacing as he prepares to leave all dignity here on the floor behind the counter.

"Daishou . . ." Kuroo stops, wetting his lips and swallowing down the anger that's threatening to choke him. "Suguru. Please. I . . . I need your help."

"So you're saying you need me?" Daishou lilts his voice almost suggestively, and Kuroo grits his teeth.

"Yes," he grinds out.

Daishou laughs. "Don't hurt yourself. I'll be there in ten."

Kuroo hangs up without saying goodbye, setting the phone on the floor beside him. He presses his forehead to his knees, mentally berating himself for every single decision that led to this moment. After a few minutes of this, though, he pushes himself up and looks over at the ring of candles. The demon is still there, though it's stopped its pacing and is now kneeling in the center, hands on the floor in front of it, eyes staring out at Kuroo. Kuroo shudders, but moves from behind the counter, approaching slowly.

The demon watches him warily, lips slowly curling back in a warning snarl. Kuroo stops just outside the circle, staring back at it and unable to help but wonder what it even _is_ exactly.

"Where did you come from?" he asks. "Can you speak Japanese? Understand it?"

The demon says nothing, does nothing. It gives no indication that it heard Kuroo at all, simply continues staring. Kuroo stares back, wishing he knew what dialect it spoke at least. He's not very good with demon tongues, but Iwaizumi knows a few from his missions to the realms. It's rather ironic, Kuroo thinks, that Iwaizumi's coven has more of an issue with Iwaizumi dating someone outside their membership than they do sending a teenager into a fiery hell-hole.

Three sharp raps on the door of the shop pull Kuroo out of these musings, and he cringes, taking a deep breath before making his way over. He reminds himself that Daishou is just a punk without a heart, and he really shouldn't bother him as much as he does. It's been three months, after all.

"Where is it?" is the first thing Daishou says when Kuroo opens the door.

Kuroo steps back silently, allowing Daishou to pass through. It's difficult to keep his chest from seizing up at the sight of him, and he closes his eyes briefly to compose himself, before shutting and bolting the door once more.

Daishou walks over to the circle, raising an eyebrow at the sight of the demon, which swishes its tail and hisses at him.

"Wow, you really did fuck up," he says.

"Do you know where it's from?" Kuroo asks flatly.

Daishou shrugs. "I can't be sure. The markings are unfamiliar to me. What passage did you read?"

Kuroo picks up the book from the floor, handing it over to Daishou without a word. Daishou reads over the spell, brows furrowed.

"You sure you said it _exactly_ like this?" He glances up at Kuroo skeptically from behind his stupid green-highlighted hair.

Kuroo shakes his head. "I'm not sure of anything anymore," he admits.

Daishou flips through the book, eyes scanning each page quickly. "Why do you even _have_ a book of summoning spells? Aren't you usually Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes always following the rules?"

Kuroo frowns. "Can you help me or not?"

Daishou slams the book shut. "You're not going to find what you need in here. Without knowing exactly what you said, there's no way to determine where this thing came from. There's no picture in here that looks like that thing either, so we're just going to have to wing it."

Kuroo blinks. "Is that . . . safe?"

"Of course not," Daishou says with a smirk. "But you didn't ask me here to play things safe, now did you?"

Kuroo grumbles, conceding that point. Daishou sets the book on one of the lounge chairs, moving to stand opposite the circle from Kuroo. The demon whips its head around, eyes darting back and forth, as though trying to keep an eye on both of them. Daishou rolls up his sleeves, lifting his hands then.

"Let's see if a banishing spell will work," he says.

Kuroo nods, bracing himself, ready to step forward and lend Daishou his magic if he needs it. Daishou beings the spell, his voice soft and slithery. Almost immediately Kuroo can see the effects. The demon twitches, batting at the air beside his ear like a cat swatting at an invisible bug. As Daishou continues, though, it grows agitated, flipping its tail back and forth, hissing.

Daishou frowns, stepping closer to the circle. A vein begins to throb in his forehead, his jaw tightening. The demon tries to lunge at him, but it falls back with a small cry. Daishou speaks faster, his voice rising, and the demon writhes on the floor, its face screwed up in pain. Something in Kuroo's chest twinges, watching this, and he quickly moves around to stand beside Daishou.

"Daishou, Daishou stop. It isn't working."

Daishou ignores him, his fingers stiff as he holds them over the pentagram and speaks faster, the golden light of his magic pulsating in the pupils of his hazel eyes. A low wail comes from the demon, as it scratches at the floorboards, back arching.

"Daishou, stop! You're hurting it!" Kuroo grabs Daishou's arm.

Daishou shakes him off. "It's a _demon_ ," he snaps. "You wanted me to get rid of it, right? So let me get rid of it!"

"You're not getting rid of it! You're torturing it!"

"This is the most powerful banishing spell I know! If this doesn't work, than the only thing left to do is kill it directly," Daishou says, scowling. "Is that what you want me to do?"

Kuroo glances between the demon and Daishou, unsure of how he wants to answer. The magical part of him, the _sensible_ part, tells him that ending the demon's life is probably for the best. It's what the coven council would do if they found out about it anyway. But looking at the demon now, curled up on its side and whimpering in pain, Kuroo can't bring himself to make that call.

"Get out," he says instead, stepping away.

Daishou's eyes widen and something that might be hurt flickers across his face before it hardens. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Kuroo says, ignoring the painful twist in his gut.

Daishou stares at him a moment before huffing indignantly. He shoves past Kuroo's shoulder and makes his way toward the door. "I came here out of the goodness of my heart to help a friend and this is the thanks I get."

Kuroo looks down at the demon. "We're not friends," he says softly, but he can tell by the way Daishou pauses that he heard him.

Without another word, Daishou exits the store, slamming the door shut behind him. Kuroo waits until he's sure Daishou is gone, before moving over to lock it once more. When he turns back to the demon, he finds it curled into a ball, wings draped over itself protectively. Another pang of sympathy hits Kuroo's chest, as he approaches the circle slowly.

"Hey," he says gently, crouching in the demon's line of sight. "It's okay. He's gone now. He's not going to hurt you anymore."

The wings quiver slightly, but the demon doesn't respond or lower its shield. Kuroo sighs, sitting on the floor and looking around the shop. He isn't entirely sure what to do now. He let his best chance at removing this thing walk out the door, and the thought of killing the demon himself makes his stomach turn.

It doesn't seem all that threatening now, curled up and quaking with fear. He can't leave it in this circle forever.

Struck with a sudden idea, Kuroo hops to his feet. He makes his way over to the front of the shop, holding out his hands and strengthening the wards Akimoto placed in the walls. They're supposed to keep demons out, but they can work just as well keeping them in, right? As long as the demon can't get outside . . .

Kuroo steps back over to the circle, staring down at the creature. "Okay," he says then, keeping his voice light and conversational. "I'm going to let you out. But you have to promise not to eat my soul or anyone else's, okay? I'll find you some fish or something. Do you eat fish?"

There's no response, but Kuroo isn't truly expecting one.

_If it attacks me, I can always kill it then. It'd be self-defense in that case, right? Yeah . . ._

Inhaling deeply, Kuroo nudges aside one of the candles with his foot, breaking the circle. Instantly all the flames disappear. The demon lifts its head, sniffing the air. Kuroo braces himself for an attack, but instead of leaping towards him, it darts for the display window. Kuroo winces, as it crashes through the display and into the window, bouncing off and hitting the floor with a yelp. It hops up, shakes his head, and half-flies, half-skips over to the front door, slamming its horns into the wood. Again, it does no damage.

Slowly, it rises to its feet, wavering on them like it's unused to walking on two legs. It grabs the door handle then, jiggling it, twisting it back and forth but of course it doesn't open.

Kuroo can't help but be amused by its attempts. "Yeah, that's not going to work," he says.

The demon glares at him over its shoulder, lowering back onto all fours. It stares at Kuroo, whipping its tail back and forth. Kuroo gives it a smile, though it trembles uneasily. He lifts his hands in a placating gesture, but as soon as he does, the demon recoils, pressing itself back against the door.

"Oh. Sorry." Kuroo quickly lowers his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm . . . I'm sorry about what Daishou did. He was just trying to help but . . . it wasn't right. I'm sorry."

The demon watches him, not peeling away from the wall just yet. Kuroo backs away until he hits the front desk. He slides down it until he's sitting on the floor, lifting one knee to rest his arm across it. Exhaustion overwhelms him then, settling in his bones and muscles. He isn't sure what time it is, and now that he knows he isn't going to die and the demon can't get out, his body relaxes. Setting his head back against the wood behind him, he lifts his finger to point at the demon.

"Don't try to eat me," he says, yawning then.

As his eyes fall closed, he sees the demon still watching him, its head slowly tilting to the side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you'd like to see a quick rundown of Kenma's tattoos, I posted them [HERE](http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/post/152691402615/excuse-my-crappy-art-gomen-but-if-anyone-is) on my tumblr!
> 
> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


	2. i wanna get close to you

When Kuroo wakes, he can't quite remember what happened the previous night or why his neck and back and ass ache so much or why there's something warm, almost uncomfortably warm, pressed against the side of his hip and thigh. He slowly opens his eyes, crusty with sleep, and he rolls his neck, rubbing the back of it. The soft pastels of the sunrise stream in through the front windows of the shop, illuminating the demolished display and the pentagram still uncovered on the floor of the lounge.

Kuroo straightens abruptly, as the memories of what occurred come flooding back to him. He looks down to his right, eyes widening as he sees the demon curled up against his side like an oversized cat, head resting on its hands, eyes closed. It's still deep in sleep, breathing softly, and Kuroo inches away from it carefully.

"I am so fucked," he breathes, standing.

His phone rings abruptly, loudly playing the X-Files theme. He quickly reaches into his pocket to silence it, but the demon only twitches some before it curls into a tighter ball and continues to slumber. Kuroo makes his way over to the lounge area, answering the phone and cradling it between his ear and his shoulder, as he starts clearing away the candles.

"Oikawa, what the fuck, it's six in the morning."

"What do you mean what the fuck?" Oikawa hisses. "I just got your message what the fuck is going on with _you_? You summoned a demon? Seriously?"

"Yeah, I did. And thanks for all your help with that, by the way."

"We were tracking a vengeful spirit! I had to put my phone on silent! We're okay, by the way."

"I'm sorry, I didn't consider that when I had a _fucking demon in my shop._ "

Oikawa huffs. "Did you get rid of it at least?"

Kuroo shifts his phone into his hand, looking down at the pile of candles in front of him before glancing over his shoulder toward the demon. "Well . . ." He trails off, frowning, as he looks at the empty space the demon was occupying not two minutes ago. "Shit. It's gone."

"It's gone? You _let it leave the circle_?!"

"I'm gonna need to call you back."

"Kuroo Tetsurou, don't you dare—"

Kuroo hangs up, shoving the phone in his pocket as he stands. Turning around, scans the shop for the demon, slowly approaching the spot where he left it.

"Uh, here demon," he calls tentatively, feeling like an idiot but not sure what else to do. He whistles softly, patting his thigh.

A small crash sounds from the shelves near the back of the shop. Panic seizes him, and he rushes toward it, finding the demon perched on the very top of the shelf, shrunken to the size of a housecat, holding a jar of pickled eyeballs in its hands. Shattered on the floor is the remains of another jar, this one having once held goat tongues. They litter the floor now, and the smell makes Kuroo gag. He quickly covers his nose and mouth with the collar of his shirt.

"Hey," he hisses at the demon. "Get down from there! Stop making a mess!"

The demon looks back at him blankly. It looks down at the jar in its hands, twisting at the lid then, trying to get it open. Kuroo holds his breath, but the demon seems to have trouble with it, because after a few attempts it makes a soft, scoffing noise and holds the jar out in front of it.

"Don't you dare!" Kuroo snaps.

The demon blinks at him, before letting the jar drop out of its hands. Kuroo lunges forward, nearly stepping on the broken glass, catching the jar before it can hit the floor. He hears rustling and clinking and looks up to see the demon making its way down the shelf toward the next one over.

Quickly setting the jar on the shelf in front of him, Kuroo hops over the mess on the floor and rushes to catch up with the demon.

"You little—hey! Stop! Don't touch that!"

He manages to scoop the demon up under its arms, hoisting it above his head in an attempt to keep it away from the shelves. Its tail whips around furiously, as it hisses and scrambles to get down, wings beating against his arms. Kuroo grimaces, as its sharp nails scratch his hands, and he drops the demon with a yelp of pain, as he feels sharp teeth dig into his skin.

"Fuck!"

The demon lands on its feet and scampers off, disappearing around the corner of the aisle. Kuroo inspects his hand and is surprised to find he isn't bleeding. Still, his mood is not improved, and he storms over to where he hears the demon rifling through the lower shelves near the front of the store.

It looks up when Kuroo approaches, chattering something at him in a language he can't understand. Kuroo shakes his head, crossing his arms and putting on his sternest expression.

"You need to stop this," he says. "I know you're a demon, but for the sake of appearances can you at least . . . _act_ human?"

The demon tilts its head, then turns back to what it was doing, which is . . . banging a healing stone against the floor, apparently. Kuroo sighs, leaning down and snatching the stone away from it.

"Okay, this isn't going to work. I need to get this place ready to open, and you're destroying everything. What do you need? Food? Water?"

The demon stares up at him from behind its hair, unblinking. At this size, and in the broad light of day, it doesn't seem nearly as terrifying or intimidating as it did last night. In fact, sitting here on the floor, with its tail swishing back and forth absently, it looks almost . . . cute.

_Okay, stop right there, Tetsurou. You cannot, under any circumstances, think of this thing as "cute." You have to get rid of it. It's not a pet._

He tells himself this, even as he holds out his arms to the creature with a pleading look. "Come on. I'll take you upstairs to my room and give you some water. You can hang out there until I figure out what to do with you."

The demon rises to its feet and hops into the air. It flies toward him, and Kuroo flinches slightly, before it settles on his shoulder, curling its tail around his neck for balance. It perches there, claws digging into Kuroo's hair, and Kuroo stands still for a moment, breath caught in his throat.

"Okay, okay. No need to freak out. It's not trying to bite you or eat you. It's just . . . sitting there. Like a parrot or a monkey or something. It's . . . it's fine."

Tentatively, Kuroo lifts his hand, running his fingers from the top of the demon's head down the back of its neck and spine, petting it gently. The demon shivers slightly, before a low _rrrr_ sounds from its throat, almost like a purr. Kuroo snatches his hand away.

_Nope. Nope, not doing that. Nope._

"Don't get any ideas," Kuroo says, making his way toward the back of the shop carefully, the weight of the demon an unfamiliar one, making him tilt slightly to compensate. "You're not my pet, and you're _not_ staying here. You'll be gone by tonight, so don’t get comfy."

The demon, of course, doesn't respond, but it does tug gently on Kuroo's hair. What that's supposed to mean, though, he has no idea.

Opening the door to his room, he steps inside and deposits the demon on his bed. It bounces a few times, before hopping off and flying up toward the top shelf above Kuroo's desk. Kuroo hastens to catch the volleyball trophies that start to fall, but then the demon settles in, kicking its feet in the air, as it looks around the room.

Kuroo sets the trophies on the desk before heading into his small kitchen area to grab a bowl. He fills it with water before stepping back over to the demon. "Here's some water," he says, showing it the bowl. "I'm going to leave it here, okay? I gotta go downstairs to work, but I'll be back so don't . . . break anything."

He sets the bowl on the ground, feeling a little unnerved by the silent staring. He quickly heads for the door then, shutting it behind him and setting up wards around the room to make sure it doesn't escape. Once that's done, he presses his back against his door, sighing heavily.

"I'm so fucked," he says again, running his hand through his hair.

Resignedly, he pushes off the door and makes his way down the stairs to start readying the shop to open.

 

 

 

The day goes surprisingly well. He manages to clean up the mess until there's no sign that anything happened, and Yaku arrives promptly when Kuroo calls him to make deliveries, and he takes care of things on his end rather successfully. Kuroo has to begrudgingly admit that despite his combative personality, Yaku's a hard and skillful worker.

On his downtime, Kuroo searches the web on his phone for any sort of description that might lead him to what exactly the demon in his room is. He ignores several calls from Oikawa, and it's only towards the end of the day when his phone rings with "Eye of the Tiger," that he answers.

"Iwaizumi, hey."

"It's me," says Oikawa.

Kuroo sighs. "Of course it is."

"How come you'll pick up for Iwa-chan but not for me???"

"Your voice is _really_ annoying when you whine, did you know that?"

"TETSUROU!"

Kuroo pulls his phone away from his ear with a grimace. "Yikes, geez. You're worse than my mom. I didn't answer your calls because I didn't feel like discussing my mistake and hearing about all the things I should've done instead. I _know_ I majorly fucked up, and I didn't feel like being taunted or berated for it."

Oikawa's quiet on the other end of the line, and when he finally answers he sounds offended. "I can be nice and comforting, Tetsu-chan."

"Iwaizumi's better at it."

"Iwa-chan's a brute!"

"He's straightforward and honest and doesn't enjoy reveling in other people's mistakes."

"I'm not going to _revel_ ," Oikawa huffs, before continuing. "So do you still have it? Can I see it? Where did it come from? How are you going to send it back?"

"Yes, no, I don't know, and I don't know," Kuroo answers with a sigh.

"Send me pictures!"

"I'm _working_."

"You know, you could've just called me and asked me to help you if you were hell-bent on spawning a demon in the shop. _I_ would have done the spell _perfectly_ , and saved you a lot of trouble!"

"Goodbye."

"Send me pics!"

Kuroo hangs up, rolling his eyes. He sets his phone on the counter and rubs his palms into his eyes, exhaustion still lingering in the corners of them. He's still stiff from sleeping on the floor, and he holds the back of his neck as he slowly rolls it, grimacing at the cracks he hears. The bell above the door jingles, as Yaku strolls in, slapping the money he collected on the counter in front of Kuroo.

"You look like shit," he says.

"Thanks," Kuroo says, pulling the money toward him to count everything.

"Isn't your exam coming up? Shouldn't you be studying?"

Kuroo blinks at him. "Why does nobody seem to understand that I have _work_ to do?" he asks the air.

Yaku waves his hand at him. "Go study. I'll watch the shop for you."

Kuroo stares blankly, wondering if he heard that correctly.

Yaku must take his surprise as hesitance, because he sighs and rolls his eyes. "I _promise_ I won't mess with your organization. It's only a couple hours until closing anyway, and things are slow around this time. I can handle it."

Kuroo puts the cash away, closing the register and taking a step back. "Okay . . . let me know when it's closing time and I'll come back down. You have my phone number?"

"Yeah, yeah, just go," Yaku says, taking Kuroo's place behind the counter.

Kuroo heads for the back stairs, glancing over his shoulder at Yaku. "Thanks," he says genuinely.

Yaku's cheeks flush slightly, and he waves Kuroo off. " _Go_."

Still somewhat shocked that Yaku is doing this for him, Kuroo jogs up the stairs to his room. In his relief to finally have time to study, he completely forgets about the demon and nearly jumps ten feet in the air, stifling a high-pitched scream, when he opens his door to find a 187.7cm tall man standing in front of his closet wearing his clothes. It's only when the man turns around and blinks at him that Kuroo recognizes the wide gold eyes and markings on its face.

"Holy shit, don't scare me like that," he says, shutting the door behind him quickly. "What the hell are you doing?"

The demon looks down at the clothes it's wearing, and then holds its arms out, as though displaying its outfit. Kuroo stares. The horns, wings, and tail are gone. The claws too, though its fingernails and toenails are still black. Aside from the markings on its face and the back of its hands, and the eerie glow of its eyes, the demon appears completely human. If rather scary and intimidating, being so tall.

"Ah, is this . . . did you understand me earlier when I asked you to act human? Can you understand me now?"

The demon tilts its head, keeping its arms out to the side. It's a little unnerving, seeing it in his clothes, and Kuroo bites his lip, holding his hand out, palm facing the ground.

"Could you maybe . . . be shorter?" He bobs his hand up and down to demonstrate what he means. "You're kind of scary looking like this."

The demon studies him for a moment before slowly shrinking in size until it's around Yaku's height, the clothes swamping it. Kuroo swallows hard, lifting his hand slightly. The demon grows a few more centimeters until it stands around 169cm. Kuroo nods then, lowering his hand to his side.

_If it'll obey my directions like this, maybe it can help me around the shop after all . . ._

"We'll have to get you better clothes, but you're much less intimidating," Kuroo says with a nod. He bites his lip, chewing on it absently. He glances over at the bowl he left on the floor, noticing that it's still full.

"Oh. You don't drink water?" He frowns, wondering how he's supposed to take care of this thing if he doesn't know what it needs to eat or drink.

The demon shuffles over, the pants slipping down around its knees as it makes no move to keep the waistline up over its hips. Eventually it simply steps out of them, the shirt hemline falling to about mid-thigh. Kuroo has to resist the curious thought as to what's underneath the shirt. If the demon can make itself look human . . .

"How did you do that?" Kuroo asks, gesturing to his own head. "Is it a spell or something?"

The demon looks up at him, and as Kuroo watches, the top of its skull beneath its hair ripples and its horns start to slide out of its skin. It's rather unnerving, and Kuroo shudders, holding up his hand.

"Okay, okay, I get it," he says, shaking his head. "Put them away."

The horns disappear back inside its head, and the demon goes to kneel on the bed. It sits there then, watching Kuroo expectantly. Kuroo has no idea what it wants, however, and so he simply stares back blankly.

A sharp rap on the door makes Kuroo jump. The demon hisses, placing its hands on the bed in front of him and leaning over them menacingly. Kuroo quickly waves for it to settle down, crossing over to the door and opening it just a crack.

"You forgot your phone," Yaku says, holding it up.

"Oh, shit, thanks," Kuroo says, quickly taking it from him. He starts to shut the door, but Yaku puts his hand on it, bending slightly to try and see beneath Kuroo's arm.

"Is someone in there with you?"

"No!" Kuroo says quickly, before remembering that he needs smaller clothes and Yaku . . .

"Well, yeah, actually. I have, uh, a cousin. Visiting. He's kind of weird, really into tattoos, but um. His luggage was lost at the train station . . . do you think you have some clothes he can borrow? He's only a little taller than you . . ."

Yaku raises his eyebrows skeptically. "A cousin. Really?" He crosses his arms over his chest. "What's his name?"

Kuroo scrambles to think of something. For some reason his mind goes back to the best friend he used to have as a kid. From the time he was six to when he was ten he would play at this friend's house nearly every day. That is until he moved away, and Kuroo never saw him again.

"Kozume," he says. "Kenma."

Something in his voice must sound genuine, because Yaku lowers his defensive stance. "Can I meet him?"

"He's sleeping right now," Kuroo says, lying easier now that it seems Yaku's bought his story.

Yaku nods. "Okay, well, I guess I could bring some stuff over tomorrow." He scratches behind his ear absently. "Is he going to start helping you around the shop?"

"I hope so," Kuroo says, and this time it's 100% the truth.

"Cool." Yaku nods. "Guess I'll see you in a couple hours?"

"Yeah. Thanks again for bringing me the phone," Kuroo says, holding up the device. "Let me know if you need any help downstairs."

Yaku nods, waving over his shoulder as he leaves. Kuroo shuts the door, leaning back against it with a relieved sigh. He looks over at the demon on his bed then, pushing off the wood to go stand in front of it.

"Your name is Kozume Kenma," he says firmly. "You’re my cousin from Miyagi, and you're here to help me out around the shop while I study for my witch's license. Your luggage was stolen at the train station, so that's why you're going to be wearing Yaku's old things. I don't care what you look like up here, but down in the shop you gotta act human, okay? You gotta _be_ human. Got that?"

The demon (Kenma, Kuroo reminds himself) stares back at him without a word or any sort of flicker of recognition. Kuroo runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Can you speak Japanese at all?"

It blinks.

"Okay, just . . . stay quiet then."

Kuroo steps over to his desk, sitting down and pulling one of his textbooks off the shelf above him. "It's going to be fine," he says to himself. "It'll be fine."

He certainly hopes so, at least.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Amazingly, the week goes by without any terrible incident or signs of an apocalypse. Kuroo shows Kenma how to properly manage the shop, and the demon is a quick learner, though it seems to be mostly just mimicking what Kuroo does rather than having an understanding of what it's doing. Still, it's quiet and although it receives strange looks from the customers, it doesn't attack any of them, and Kuroo is able to explain away its strange appearance by calling the markings tattoos. He gets somewhat worried when Yaku meets it and he tries to engage it in small-talk. Kuroo explains that Kenma doesn't really talk much, and Yaku shrugs it off and lets it be.

There are still times where things don't go quite as planned. Kuroo finds out quickly that when Kenma doesn't want to do something it will dig its heels in and absolutely refuse. Already it's run off and hidden twice when Kuroo asked it to clean the customer bathroom, knocked over a crate of herbs needed for protection spells against demons when Kuroo asked it to restock them, and when a rude customer got into Kenma's face demanding it tell her where their books on spell knitting were, Kuroo had to intervene when he saw Kenma's claws begin to grow.

Despite these incidents, Kenma is fairly well behaved, if somewhat lazy. It's a chore to get the demon out of bed in the morning, and it complains loudly with yowls of displeasure, when Kuroo has to hoist it over his shoulder and physically carry it down the stairs into the shop. He often finds Kenma napping in corners of the shop when it's supposed to be working, and he's gotten used to the ankle scratches he receives when he gently nudges Kenma awake.

But as the days go on, and Kenma gets used to its new routine, things get easier. And while Kuroo can't exactly leave Kenma alone, he _is_ able to use his downtime to study, while Kenma works and cleans. (When he's not being bombarded with texts from Oikawa, that is.)

 **Nerdlord**  
_tetsu-chan~ i'm still waiting for those pics!_ (10:34)  
_is it really terrible looking???_ (10:45)  
_GASP! DOES IT LOOK LIKE IWACHAN???_ (10:46)  
_iwachan saw that last text and he hit me :(_ (10:50)  
_we're making headway with our investigation! you can call us, Detective Tooru and Detective Iwachan! B)_ (12:39)  
_iwachan says if we finish up early we can spend the rest of our time here like a real vacation! i gotta buy cute underwear!_ (13:06)  
_lolololol jk my ass is cute enough as it is ;9_ (13:06)

 

 

The problem with getting Oikawa his picture is that Kenma doesn't seem to want to go sans clothes anymore. Even at night when it curls up to sleep at the foot of Kuroo's bed, shrunken to the size of a small dog, it wears one of Kuroo's shirts. Despite knowing Oikawa can't help him find out where it came from _without_ photos, Kuroo isn't exactly comfortable asking it to undress so he can take pictures of it, so he lets it be.

It's getting better at acting human, at least. It doesn't hiss anymore, deciding to simply wrinkle its nose or make some other kind of disgusted expression when it's displeased. It's grown steadier on its feet, and Kuroo only catches it crawling along the ground near closing when there's no one else around, stalking some phantom like a cat after an invisible mouse.

Kuroo has to admit, he's grown used to the company; he even enjoys it at times. As strange as it is and despite knowing that this is a _demon_ that could very well suck his soul out of his body at any given moment, it's difficult to ignore the fact that it seems perfectly docile and enjoys curling up on the floor by Kuroo's feet behind the counter to nap whenever Kuroo doesn't have a task for it.

It's cute, and Kuroo hates himself for admitting that, but it's the truth.

He discovers as time goes on that Kenma doesn't need to eat or drink. He supposes that makes sense, seeing as it still doesn't seem to have any way to relieve itself, other than through the ass, but Kuroo hasn't seen it use the bathroom either despite it having walked in on him before so it _knows_ the purpose of that room. (That had been an extremely embarrassing incident, and Kuroo tries to forget about it.)

He hasn't heard back from Akimoto about when the man is returning, and with things going so well, Kuroo doesn't necessarily feel the urge to research that extensively into finding a way to get Kenma back to where it belongs.

With Kenma around, Kuroo doesn't feel that sting of loneliness as often.

 

 

 

 

One night, as he takes a break from studying to check Facebook, Kenma decides it wants attention and sits itself down in Kuroo's lap.

"Hey you," Kuroo says fondly, stroking the top of Kenma's head gently. Kenma makes that strange purring noise, nuzzling its head into Kuroo's palm. It's adorable, but Kuroo finds himself more distracted by the new photos Yuuki posted that morning. A sigh of regret escapes him before he can stop himself, and Kenma turns to look at the screen.

It points to the picture of Yuuki, looking back at Kuroo then with the expression it uses when it wants Kuroo to explain something.

Kuroo gives it a faint, crooked grin. "That's Shibayama Yuuki. He was very special to me." Kenma tilts its head, waiting for more. "Daishou . . . you remember him, right?" Kenma curls its lips in disgust, displaying its sharp teeth. "Yeah, him. He . . . stole Yuuki from me. He took him. I'm still not entirely sure why . . . but anyway, Yuuki isn't my special someone anymore."

Kenma moves off Kuroo's lap. It takes Kuroo's hand, placing it on its chest, before pointing to itself rapidly. Kuroo frowns faintly, trying to understand.

"Are you . . . asking if you're my special someone now?"

Kenma nods. Kuroo grins, but shakes his head. He pulls his hand away. "Sorry, buddy. It's not like that between us. I'm fond of you, but—"

He cuts off, as Kenma frowns and then closes its eyes. Its skin shifts, changes. Its hair turns black, shortening and growing fluffier. Kuroo's heart catches in his throat, as he finds himself looking at Yuuki. Except, it isn't Yuuki, of course. When Kenma opens its eyes, it hasn't quite gotten rid of that golden gleam of its eyes despite the fact that it's now muted beneath the dark grey.

"Kenma," Kuroo says hoarsely. "You don't . . . you don't have to do that."

Kenma ignores him. It grabs the hem of Kuroo's shirt that it's wearing, pulling it up over its head to reveal a naked Yuuki and this time there's _everything_. Kuroo's face burns as he hastens to grab the shirt, holding it up in front of Kenma so that its very male parts are hidden.

 _What the fuck is going on here?_ His head is pounding. He feels like he's in an extremely strange, weirdly erotic dream, and he's not very happy about it.

"Stop, okay? Just . . . _stop_ ," he hisses frantically, his heart thudding erratically in his throat. "You're not him. You can't just . . . turn into him, okay? I don't . . . I don't want that." He shakes his head quickly, hoping Kenma will understand.

Kenma looks down at Kuroo's hands holding the shirt. It takes it from him slowly, slipping it back on over its head. When the collar falls down around its clavicle, it looks like itself again, or at least how it appears when it's down in the shop.

Kuroo's heart is still beating way too quickly. "I need to pee," he says, standing abruptly. He quickly races into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him.

He sits on the floor then, dialing Oikawa's number with shaky fingers.

"Yahoo~" Oikawa answers on the third ring.

"When are you coming home?" Kuroo demands.

"We still haven't taken care of our ghost problem yet, Tetsu-chan," Oikawa says. "We have at least another week here! Do you miss me that much? I can send you more selfies!"

Kuroo groans, hitting his head against the door behind him. "No, dumbass. I need to know what to do with Kenma."

"With who?"

Kuroo grimaces. "With the demon."

There's silence on the other end of the phone before Oikawa answers, very carefully, "You named it?"

"I had to! It's helping me around the shop and people had questions."

"Isn't that the name of your childhood friend you were convinced you were going to marry one day?"

"Don't judge me. It's the first name I thought of when Yaku asked me."

"Tetsu-chaaaan! You can't name the wild animals! That's how you grow attached! And you especially can't name them after people you used to be in love with!"

"I was ten, I highly doubt I was _actually_ in love with him." Kuroo rolls his eyes.

"But you've grown attached, haven't you?"

Kuroo purses his lips, knowing Oikawa will catch him in a lie but not willing to admit the truth either. He hears Oikawa sigh over the static of the phone.

"What's going to happen when Akimoto gets back, and he reports you to the council? You _know_ they're going to kill it."

"It's not dangerous," Kuroo says softly. "It's actually kind of . . . sweet. I mean, it can be a little shit sometimes. It still likes to knock things over and destroy things if it's unhappy or mad, and it won't give me back my favorite shirt, but it hasn't tried to kill me yet and tonight . . ."

"Tonight?" Oikawa prompts warily.

Kuroo bites his lip. "Tonight I told it about Yuuki and it . . . transformed itself into Yuuki and like . . . offered itself to me or something, I don’t know. I don't know what it was trying to do. If it was trying to comfort me or . . ."

"If it wants to mean something to you the way Yuuki meant?" Oikawa finishes.

"Yeah," Kuroo says with a sigh, rubbing his forehead with his free hand.

Oikawa clears his throat, his voice growing very serious. "Tetsurou, you can't let yourself be wooed by this thing. It's a _demon_. We don't even know what _kind_ of demon! It might be the kind that makes you fall in love with it and then it eats your heart!"

Kuroo grimaces. "I know, I know. I'm not going to fall for it, don't worry. I know what it is." He stands, knowing he can't hide in the bathroom forever. "I should go. I left kind of abruptly, and I don't know if it's mad or not. Gotta make sure it hasn't torn my laptop in half or something."

"Don't have sex with it either!" Oikawa says frantically. "I watched this show once where an alien killed men by enticing them and then fucking them to death! They exploded when they came!"

"What the fuck?" Kuroo can't help but laugh.

"I'm _serious_ , Kuroo!"

"I'm not going to _fuck_ the demon, are you crazy?" Kuroo says, rolling his eyes.

"What if it turns itself into that movie star you like? Or . . . oh no! What if it turns into _me_? You wouldn't be able to resist it!"

"If I had a gun to my head you'd still be pretty low on the list of people I'd be willing to fuck, Oikawa," Kuroo says, smirking.

"Rude! I'll have you know I'm fabulous in bed. Iwachan has no complaints."

"Gross. Just get back here soon, okay? I don't want to deal with this by myself."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you miss me. Don't worry. We'll be back before you know it! Don't fuck the demon!"

"Good _bye_."

Kuroo hangs up the phone, shaking his head. Damn. It's like Oikawa thinks he's a sex monster or something. He'd gone nineteen years without sex, and hasn't had any since that awkward and terrible first time so he's pretty sure he has enough self-control to withstand any sort of weird advances Kenma might make toward him. (Not that he understands why Kenma would want to do that with him in the first place.)

He exits the bathroom to find Kenma sitting on the edge of his bed. It stands quickly when it sees him, watching him warily.

"I'm not mad," he assures it, moving to set his phone on his desk. Everything appears to be intact, so at least he doesn't have a pissed-off demon to worry about.

He feels a light touch on his arm and turns to look down at Kenma. The demon points to Kuroo's phone, frowning faintly.

"It," it says, lips moving slowly over the strange word.

Kuroo's eyes widen, and he watches as Kenma taps its finger on the desk next.

"It," it says again. Pointing to its chest, it shakes his head. "Not it."

Kuroo's mind is whirring. _Where is this coming from? Did it hear me in the bathroom?_

"Um. Okay? What are you then?" he asks hesitantly. He didn't think demons _had_ genders.

Kenma points to Kuroo's chest. "He," it says, before pointing to Yuuki's picture on the laptop screen. "He." Bringing its hand to its chest, it taps its sternum twice with two fingers. "He."

Kuroo exhales slowly. "Okay," he says, nodding. "Okay."

Kenma nods in return, moving back to sit on the bed. Kuroo rubs the back of his neck, smirking faintly, trying to ignore the strange fluttering in his stomach.

"So, you _can_ speak Japanese, huh?"

Kenma huffs, turning around to face his back to Kuroo. He doesn't say another word, so Kuroo guesses he _is_ pissed off, though what about, Kuroo isn't entirely sure.

He settles back into his chair at his desk, exiting out of Facebook and pulling up a page he needs to study for his exam. He brings his notebook closer, picking up his pencil. He starts reading, jotting down relevant information while trying to ignore the sounds of Kenma raking his claws across the wood of the wall, as he pouts.

"Can you stop that?" he asks after a moment, frowning over at Kenma. "It's really annoying."

Kenma looks back at him and very deliberately scratches the wall once more, drawing out the sound as long as he can. Frustrated and still flustered from before, Kuroo picks up his notebook and laptop, leaving the room to study down in the shop.

 _I'm not growing attached. I'm not growing attached._ He knows he needs to send Kenma back to where he came from. He knows this. If Akimoto gets back and finds out Kuroo's been harboring a demon in the shop, Kuroo will most likely lose his apprenticeship, and Kenma will be turned over to the coven council to be disposed of like trash.

Kuroo's chest seizes up at this thought, and he stops at the bottom of the stairs, steadying himself with a hand against the wall.

"Fuck," he breathes resignedly. "I care about him."

"Well, that's unfortunate."

Kuroo turns his head toward this new voice, a low hiss catching in his throat at the person he sees smiling smugly at the front counter, tongue poking out between his lips.

"Daishou."

"Good evening, Kuroo. I have a favor to ask you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I won't be posting chapters every day, but I'd already started this chapter last night and I had all day free so I figured I'd finish it! I hope you enjoyed it! I'm really excited about this story and its world, so if you have any questions or just want to chat about Haikyuu!! (how about that third season opener, amiright?), please don't hesitate to contact me at my tumblr!
> 
> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


	3. i wanna sleep next to you

Kuroo can't think of anyone he'd rather see _less_ than the young man standing in front of him right now.

"What the hell are you doing here? We're _closed_. How did you even get in?"

Daishou gestures over his shoulder. "Door was unlocked."

Kuroo glares at the offending door and reminds himself to have a few words with Yaku later. Turning back to Daishou, he steps over to the counter, setting his laptop and notebook down on the top, narrowly missing Daishou's fingers, as he quickly moves his hand out of the way.

"What do you want?" he asks flatly.

"As you know, our witch's license exam is coming up soon," Daishou starts, running his finger along the edge of the counter. "I find myself in need of a few supplies in order to practice."

"Okay," Kuroo says slowly, not entirely sure what Daishou is insinuating. "So why don't you come back during business hours and buy something like a normal person, instead of skulking around after dark?"

"Well, see, the thing is I'm a very broke college student," Daishou says pointedly, and Kuroo suddenly understands.

"No way," he says quickly, shaking his head. "What the fuck? I'm not giving you free stuff."

Daishou's eyes flit to the side. "I see you've kept that thing around," he says with a nod in the direction of the stairs.

Kuroo turns to find Kenma peering out from around the corner of the stairwell. When he sees they've noticed him, he bares his sharp teeth with a soft hiss, eyes narrowing as they fixate on Daishou. Kuroo steps between them, meeting Daishou's gaze squarely.

"So I didn't feel like killing a living creature. Sue me," Kuroo says as nonchalantly as he can, shrugging.

"It's a _demon_ ," Daishou says, rolling his eyes. "They don't have souls. You're an idiot for keeping it. But it works out in my favor." He shrugs.

"How so?" Kuroo asks with a frown, but his eyes widen, as he realizes what Daishou is going to say even as he opens his mouth.

"It'd be a shame if the council were to find out about your little . . . demon infestation." Daishou lips curl in a slow, malicious smile.

Kuroo's heart sinks into his stomach, as he looks from Daishou to Kenma and back again. So far he's been lucky that no one's suspected Kenma's true origins, and if Daishou were to tip off the coven council . . . Kuroo shudders inwardly to think of what they might do to Kenma. He wouldn't put it past them to try and get information out of him about his realm before they killed him.

Sighing resignedly, Kuroo steps back over to the counter and flips to a blank page in his notebook. "What do you need?" he asks dully.

As Daishou lists off ingredients for different potions and spells, Kenma cautiously makes his way to Kuroo's side. Kuroo feels slender fingers curl into the back of his shirt, but he doesn't look up from his note-taking.

"Ugh," Daishou interrupts himself, noticing Kenma at Kuroo's side. "How can you stand to let it touch you?"

Kuroo glances over at Kenma before turning his gaze back to Daishou. He reaches up, gently patting the top of Kenma's head in a reassuring gesture just to see Daishou's lip curl, a visible shudder running through him. Kuroo smirks.

"You really took to heart all those stories the coven told us as kids, huh?"

Daishou gives Kuroo a look. "Considering they were warning us about all the terrible things demons can do to us, uh, _yes_ I took them to heart. That thing can probably rip your organs out of your body faster than you can blink, you know."

"And yet he seems to like me," Kuroo says, tapping his pen on the notebook. "Is that all?"

Daishou huffs. "Yeah," he says, rubbing the side of his nose and looking away.

Kuroo untangles himself from Kenma's grasp, stepping over to the shelves to gather the ingredients Daishou requested. The list is painfully long. His arms are full by the time he makes it back over to the counter, and he nearly drops everything when he sees Kenma on the floor struggling against chains that have bound his ankles and wrists behind him, a cloth tied tightly around his mouth. He struggles uselessly, muffled cries sounding from behind the gag.

"What the fuck, Daishou?!" Kuroo exclaims, hurrying over and setting the ingredients down on the counter. As he kneels beside Kenma, Daishou starts stacking the ingredients into a bag.

"What did you expect me to do?" Daishou asks sharply. "You left me alone with it and it kept hissing at me!"

Kuroo ignores him, quickly saying the counter-spell and waving his hand over Kenma. He feels the warm, familiar pull of magic and watches as the chains and gag dissolve into particles that disappear into the air. Immediately Kenma leaps to his feet, golden eyes blazing. His horns and tail appear, his black fingernails growing into claws, as his wings burst out from beneath Kuroo's shirt, tearing it in half. As it falls off his body, he leaps onto the counter, snarling at Daishou.

"Fuck!" Daishou yelps, hopping back, his arms full of bags.

Kuroo has half a mind to sic Kenma on Daishou, but as Kenma screeches and lunges for him, Kuroo finds himself jumping forward and grabbing Kenma's wrist, yanking him back to the floor.

"No, Kenma!" Kuroo says loudly to be heard over Kenma's cries of protest.

Kenma glares up at him, pulling back against Kuroo's grip on his wrist. Kuroo turns him around and gives him a small shove toward the stairs. "Go, I can take care of this."

Kenma hisses petulantly, but surprisingly he obeys, flying up the stairs. Kuroo waits until he hears the slamming of the door above before turning back to Daishou, who's eyes are wide, his face pale.

"Don't you _ever_ pull a stunt like that again," Kuroo says in a low voice.

Daishou swallows hard, his eyes narrowing. "You stopped him. Why?" He laughs weakly. "You despise me."

Kuroo sighs. "You might be scum, but . . . you were my friend once. And that means something. To me, at least."

Daishou's mouth hangs open for a moment, before he quickly shuts it and heads for the door. Kuroo follows him to make sure it stays locked this time. As Daishou steps out into the street, however, Kuroo lingers in the doorway.

"Hey," he calls, causing Daishou to turn and look at him. "Why did you do it?"

Daishou blinks. "I told you, he—"

Kuroo shakes his head. "No, I mean . . . Yuuki."

Daishou's expression closes off abruptly. He looks away down the street, pursing his lips. Kuroo waits, his heart worming its way into his throat. Finally, Daishou sighs and looks back at him.

"You looked at him like he was the best thing that ever happened to you," he says, a twinge of bitterness in his voice.

Kuroo stares, waiting for more, for Daishou to explain what the hell that's supposed to mean, but Daishou says nothing else, simply turns away and disappears down the street.

 

 

 

When he gets back to his room, his bed covers have been torn to shreds, and Kenma is sitting in the corner facing the wall, hunched over his knees with his wings shielding him, his tail flicking back and forth irritably. Kuroo sighs, dropping what remains of his shirt onto what's left of the blankets.

"We really gotta work on your attitude," he says. "You can't throw tantrums and destroy people's things when you're angry."

Kenma doesn't respond, though Kuroo can feel the resentment radiating off him.

"Look, I get it. You have every right to be angry at what Daishou did. It wasn't right. But this is how untamed animals act," Kuroo continues, frowning down at the pieces of his shirt. He sighs; it was his favorite shirt. "If you're going to be human you have to act like one, you can't lash out when you're upset or don't like someone. I know it's frustrating, but internalizing emotions is what humans do best. It's what keeps us from killing each other, most of us at least."

He smiles tightly, stepping over to where Kenma's still seated in the corner. His tail has stopped moving, but he hasn't lifted his head. Kuroo kneels beside him, reaching up to gently stroke Kenma's head between his horns, sliding his hand down to the base of his skull and then lifting off to repeat the gesture.

"Sometimes I wish I _could_ let loose my emotions," he admits softly. "To just yell and scream and throw things and attack people who anger me."

Kenma shivers, his wings fluttering but not quite folding back, though they lower slightly, just enough for Kuroo to see those bright golden eyes glimmering in the shadows of the corner.

"When Yuuki told me he was breaking up with me because he had feelings for Daishou . . . I was really hurt and angry. Not at Yuuki; the kid just fell for Daishou's false sincerity and charm. I was angry at Daishou because he _knew_ how much I liked Yuuki, yet he pursued him anyway. I wanted to punch him in his smug little face. To strangle him until he passed out." Kuroo curls his free hand into a fist. "But I didn't, because civilized humans don't do that sort of thing. It wouldn't be right."

Kenma folds his wings, tucking them against his back, as he turns his head to look at Kuroo. Kuroo gives him a crooked half-smile.

"It sucks sometimes, being human, feeling all these emotions and not always being able to do anything about them," he admits. "But there are good things about it too. I . . . don't regret the time I spent with Yuuki. We had fun together. It was nice. I was happy. So, even though I got hurt, I wouldn't want to ruin the rest of my life by doing something stupid and rash. I'll be fine." He grins faintly. "Besides, I've got you now, right? I feel a little better now with you here for company. When you're not fucking up my shit, at least."

He scratches Kenma gently under the chin, and Kenma shuts his eyes, purring quietly. It's adorable, and Kuroo feels warmth grow in his chest. Moving to sit cross-legged on the floor, he wraps his arms around Kenma's waist, pulling him into his lap. Kenma moves willingly, nuzzling his face into Kuroo's neck, as his tail curls gently around Kuroo's forearm.

Kuroo wonders if this is weird, taking comfort in cuddling with a demon. But Kenma's skin is warm, his body fits just right against Kuroo's (although the wings are a bit unwieldy), and Kuroo can feel the ache in his chest easing somewhat, fading to a more manageable level.

"I haven't really talked to anyone about it," he admits quietly. "Even Oikawa doesn't know I felt like that. I mean, I told him what happened, and he could tell I was upset but . . . not that I had such dark thoughts." Kuroo sighs, resting his cheek lightly against Kenma's forehead.

He feels something wet and soft against his neck and pulls back slightly. "Whoa, hey, what was that?"

Kenma looks up at him, the tip of his tongue visible between his lips. It's black and forked like a snake's, and when it slithers out to lick at his chin, Kuroo suppresses a shudder at how long it is.

"Okay, _this_ is weird," he declares, moving Kenma off his lap and standing. The saliva Kenma left behind tingles like tiny pinpricks of fire on his skin, and he wipes it off with the edge of his sleeve. "I'm going to change the bed covers," he says.

He takes the remains of the old ones downstairs to the dumpster outside, coming back and remaking the bed. Glancing at the clock, he groans softly at how late it's gotten. Stepping over to his closet, he pulls out another shirt, one of his older ones, tossing this to Kenma.

"Try not to rip this one," he says, moving to grab his own sleep clothes.

Instead of changing in the room though, as he usually does, he finds himself heading into the bathroom for privacy. He's not sure why he suddenly feels self-conscious about changing in front of Kenma, but he tries not to think too much about it.

After he brushes his teeth, he heads back into the room to find Kenma beneath the covers, lying on his side and looking as he does in the shop, tail, wings, horns, and claws gone. Kuroo hesitates by the bed, glancing toward the spot at the foot of it where Kenma usually sleeps, curled into a ball like a cat.

"Uh, I guess . . . this is fine?" Kuroo scratches the back of his head, not having the heart to tell Kenma to move. Telling himself it's not that weird, he turns off the light and gets beneath the covers.

Kenma's eyes glow in the dark, luminescent golden spheres hovering beside him. It's somewhat unnerving, so Kuroo turns around, his back to Kenma. "Goodnight," he says, his voice sounding strained.

He closes his eyes, focusing on his breathing. He's only lain there a few minutes when he feels a slender arm curl around his waist. Bolting upright, he turns to look down at Kenma.

"No, okay? We're not doing that," he says, taking Kenma's arm and moving it away from him. "You stay on your side, and I stay on mine. No snuggling. Got it?"

Kenma runs his sharp teeth along his lower lip, but it's impossible to read his expression. Kuroo doesn't relax, however, until Kenma huffs and nods. He turns around, back to Kuroo, and Kuroo tries not to feel guilty, as he lies back down and turns the opposite way.

_This is getting complicated._

 

 

***

 

 

"Honey, I'm home!"

Kuroo can't help but break out into a grin, as he looks up to see Oikawa and Iwaizumi stride through the door of the shop. Hopping over the counter, he rushes forward, picking Oikawa up in a tight hug that has him yelping in pain.

"Oh, shit, sorry!" Kuroo exclaims, setting him back down. When he pulls back, he can't help but laugh at the reason for the yelp.

Oikawa Tooru is as red as a lobster.

"What the fuck happened to you?" he laughs.

Oikawa pouts. "I don't want to talk about it," he sniffs, turning his head away.

Iwaizumi, who looks deliciously tan and fit in a white shirt and fitted jeans, shakes his head. "Idiot forgot to reapply his sunblock."

"Iwa-chan could've reminded me!"

"I _did_ remind you! And you said, and I quote, 'Don't worry, Iwa-chan! I never burn!'"

"You didn't have to listen to me! You never listen to me!"

Kuroo's sides hurt from laughing, and his chest aches but from a different reason that what he's gotten used to. It feels full. Warm. Happy.

"I'm miserable," Oikawa laments. "Everything hurts, and once I start peeling it's going to be horrible. I'll be so ugly!"

"Might be an improvement, actually," Iwaizumi says impassively.

Kuroo wheezes.

"Oh! Hello," Oikawa says suddenly, his voice shifting into his carefully friendly one, the one he uses on people he isn't sure he can trust or not.

Kuroo composes himself, glancing to his right to see Kenma has appeared and is studying Oikawa and Iwaizumi closely. Kuroo's gut clenches, as anxiety starts to curl its way into his chest, squeezing as it goes. "Um, right. Oikawa, Iwaizumi, this is Kenma . . ."

Oikawa smiles faintly. "So, this is the famous Kenma." He makes no move to greet him otherwise, his eyes calculating, focusing on the markings that are visible on Kenma's face, the diamond in the center of his forehead.

"Nice to meet you," Iwaizumi says, because he's the polite one, offering his hand to shake.

Kenma takes the hand, but he doesn't shake it. Instead, he yanks Iwaizumi closer. Oikawa yelps in indignation, stepping forward quickly, and Kuroo tenses, reaching out to grab Kenma's shoulder. But Kenma doesn't do anything, simply peers down at the scar coiling around Iwaizumi's forearm.

His face brightens with recognition, and when he lifts his head, he immediately starts chattering at Iwaizumi in his demon language.

Iwaizumi's eyes widen slightly before his brows furrow in concentration.

"You can understand him, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa asks slowly, glancing between them.

Kuroo looks around the shop, wondering if they should take this somewhere else. There aren't very many customers at the moment, but Yaku is restocking some shelves not far from where they're standing, having decided earlier in the week that he'd lend an extra hand around the shop some to give Kuroo more time to study. (The exam is a month away, now. Kuroo's still not sure he can pass.)

"I . . . sort of," Iwaizumi murmurs. "I think he's from Hinokoku."

Kuroo's not sure why this new knowledge suddenly fills him with dread. He clears his throat. "Uh, maybe we should take this upstairs?"

He places his hands on Kenma's shoulders, pulling him back against his chest. "You two go on up, we'll join you in a second."

Oikawa narrows his eyes slightly before nodding. "Let's go, Iwa-chan~ You can put some of that nice smelling stuff on me again while we wait."

"Put it on yourself," Iwaizumi grumbles. "You always complain too much."

"You have to be delicate, Iwa-chan! Suppress your brutish ways!"

They're still going like this as they head up the stairs, and Kuroo shakes his head before going to over to where Yaku's finishing up his current box.

"Hey, would you mind watching the shop for a bit? Oikawa and Iwaizumi just got back."

Yaku nods. "Sure, is Kenma-kun going with you?"

"Um, yeah, just call me if there's a delivery, and I'll come back down."

Once Yaku is settled behind the counter, Kuroo takes Kenma's hand and leads him up the stairs. They walk in on Oikawa sitting backwards in Kuroo's desk chair, shirtless, while Iwaizumi applies some aloe vera on his burns. Oikawa is whining at the pain, and Kuroo can't help but chuckle, as he shuts the door behind them.

"It's your own damn fault, you know," he says, as Kenma scampers over to climb on top of the bed. He kneels there, his gaze fixated on Iwaizumi.

"Don't make fun of the invalid," Oikawa says, pointing at Kuroo.

Iwaizumi shifts slightly, glancing uneasily toward Kenma, who sits still as a statue.

"Mmm, he doesn't look very demon-like," Oikawa muses.

"He can shapeshift, remember? This is the form he takes when he's down in the shop with me," Kuroo says, moving to lean against the edge of his desk, crossing his arms. "I tell everyone the markings are tattoos."

"They kind of are, in a way," Iwaizumi says. He nods toward Kenma, as he continues to apply the aloe to Oikawa's back and shoulders. "His kind serves the Greater Demons in Hinokoku. The markings are kind of like, well, a brand. It basically tells other demons who he belongs to. The diamond on his forehead is the mark of the specific Greater Demon that's his master."

"Mm, do you know his master, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa asks, glancing over his shoulder.

Iwaizumi shook his head. "My mission didn’t involve any Greater Demons."

Kuroo frowns faintly. "Do you think his master is going to come looking for him?" he asks, glancing over at Kenma, who is still watching everything with intensity.

"Nah, that thing has hundreds of underlings just like Kenma."

Kuroo bristles at that. "Not _just_ like Kenma," he retorts.

Iwaizumi and Oikawa both blink at him. Kuroo purses his lips, looking away. "So what?" he asks, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Can you talk to him? In his language, I mean."

"I'm not fluent," Iwaizumi says, shrugging. "But I guess I could try to communicate. He doesn't speak Japanese?"

"He understands it, I think," Kuroo says. "But he's only said two words since I summoned him."

"Tetsu-chaaaan, come aloe me while Iwa-chan talks to your demon pet," Oikawa whines.

"Don't say it like that," Kuroo says, rolling his eyes. He steps forward, though, and takes the aloe bottle from Iwaizumi. As he starts rubbing the gel on Oikawa's skin, Iwaizumi moves hesitantly to sit on the bed across from Kenma.

"Uh, hey," he starts, running a hand through his hair. He clears his throat, looking up at Kuroo. "What do you want me to ask him?"

Kuroo blanks. "Um. Maybe . . . if he likes it here?"

Oikawa snorts below him, and Kuroo purposefully presses harder against his back until he whines in protest. "Mean."

Iwaizumi turns to Kenma, saying something in that weird language, each sound short and clipped, like he's cutting himself off before finishing the individual words.

Kenma responds the same, ducking his head to hide his face behind his hair. Kuroo finds himself paying more attention to this than he does to Oikawa.

"What did he say?"

"He said it's very different but that he likes it. He says you're kind to him, which he doesn't understand."

Kuroo looks down at his hands, rubbing his thumb absently in a circle on Oikawa's shoulder blade. "Does he . . . want to go back to Hinokoku?"

This time, Kenma doesn't wait for Iwaizumi to translate. He quickly glances over at Kuroo, speaking only for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"Not if he can't take you with him."

Kuroo's face and neck grow warm. Beneath his hands, he feels rather than hears Oikawa's thoughtful hum.

"Are you planning on keeping him here, Tetsu-chan?"

"I . . . don't know."

Oikawa points to Kenma abruptly. "If I send you downstairs for something, will you be a good little demon and fetch it without harming anyone?"

Kenma huffs indignantly.

"Good boy." Oikawa smiles. "Go get me one of the healing stones, a blue one preferably. Don't worry, Tetsurou, I'll pay for it."

He makes a 'shooing' motion with his hand, and Kenma curls his lips slightly before hopping off the bed and heading out the door. Oikawa stands then, turning to look at Kuroo seriously.

"You've grown attached."

Kuroo looks back at him resignedly, knowing better than to deny it.

Oikawa points at his face. "This is exactly what I was warning you about, Tetsurou!"

"Shut up," Kuroo hisses, glancing nervously toward the door. He's not sure how far Kenma's hearing can reach, but he doesn't want to risk it. "He's not going to hurt me, okay? You've seen him. If he wanted to kill me, he would've done it already."

"Hmph, interesting that you would trust a demon over your own best friend," Oikawa says, tapping his finger absently against his thigh.

"It's not about that," Kuroo says, frowning. "You haven't been here. It's been a month, and he's done nothing to hurt me. I think he's earned a little trust, don't you?"

"Kuroo," Iwaizumi says softly. "I hate to admit it, but I'm with Oikawa on this."

"What do you mean 'you hate to admit it'?" Oikawa squawks.

"This is dangerous. Not just because he could just be playing you but . . . if he's _not_ playing you, do you get what that could mean? If the council finds out and tries to take him from you, he could kill them. He could kill everyone. Demons of his rank aren't the most powerful in Hinokoku, but they're not the lowest either. He could do some serious damage."

"And you heard what he said, right? That he'd want to take you to Hinokoku with him if he had to go back," Oikawa interjects. He reaches forward, grabbing Kuroo's forearms and holding them tightly. "Tetsu-chan, you wouldn't _survive_."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Kuroo snorts, shaking Oikawa's hands off. "Iwaizumi survived."

"Barely," Oikawa says, his expression grim. "And he was trained for combat." He sniffs then. "Besides, I'm selfish, and I don't want my best friend leaving me for some hell hole."

"I'm not going anywhere, okay?" Kuroo says, rolling his eyes. "I don't know yet what I'm going to do if the council finds out, but for now just . . . just let me have this, okay?" He glances between them, gesturing to the side helplessly. "Let me have him."

Iwaizumi and Oikawa exchange a glance. Before either of them can reply, Kenma steps back into the room, holding a blue stone out in the palm of his hand. Oikawa steps over to take it from him.

"Thanks, little demon-chan," he says, patting Kenma on the head.

Kenma scowls at him and points to his chest. "Kenma," he says flatly.

Oikawa blinks. "Ah, yes. Right. Kenma." He and Iwaizumi glance at each other once more, and Kuroo can't help the feeling he's being left out of some kind of conversation.

"Kenma, come here," he says, holding out his hand.

Kenma immediately comes to his side, taking his hand in both of his, and pressing against him. Oikawa holds the blue stone against his chest, speaking a simple healing spell. The stone glows bright, as spirals of aquamarine light curl around Oikawa's torso, traveling up his neck and face. Kenma hisses softly, but Kuroo gives his hand a squeeze.

"It's fine, look. The stone is healing him."

The light disappears, the stone turning black, as the pink fades from Oikawa's skin. He rolls his shoulders with a contented sigh.

"There. That's better."

"You couldn't have thought of that _before_ I had to put my hands all over your back?" Kuroo asks.

Oikawa sniffs. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy feeling me up, Tetsu-chan~"

Kuroo rolls his eyes. "Just make sure you pay Yaku before you leave. We're already down in inventory thanks to Daishou."

"What about Daishou?" Iwaizumi asks.

"He's been blackmailing Tetsu-chan for the past two weeks," Oikawa explains. "Because Tetsurou refuses to get rid of . . . Kenma."

"Stay out of my business, please," Kuroo sighs.

"You're the one that told me! I'm just saying. A lot of your current problems would go away if we send Kenma back to where he belongs."

Kenma's grip tightens on Kuroo's hand, but Kuroo simply narrows his eyes. "Don't you have some place to be? Like, _home_ or something?"

"You should listen to me every once in a while, Kuroo. You wouldn't find yourself in these types of predicaments if you did."

"What makes you so qualified to lecture me about the dangers of caring for the wrong person? Look at who you're dating!" Kuroo regrets the words as soon as they leave his lips, but it's too late now to take them back.

Oikawa's grown stiff, and when he smiles it's as sharp as a steel blade. "Don't you think that makes me the _most_ qualified?"

"Let's go, Oikawa," Iwaizumi interrupts, shaking his head as he grabs Oikawa's shirt and tosses it at his chest. "Your mom is cooking dinner for us, remember?"

Oikawa's expression suddenly clears. "Oh, right!" He slips on his shirt, not looking at Kuroo as he adds, "For the record, I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt again. Like any good best friend would."

"You don't need to," Kuroo says stiffly. "I'm fine." He follows the two to the door, shutting it behind them before crossing over to the bathroom to wash his hands clean of the aloe.

He stares at himself in the mirror for a moment, noting his haggard appearance. He knows Oikawa is just being protective, and if he's honest with himself he's grateful for it. He knows he should be careful with whom he places his trust. He opened himself up to the wrong person before, and he's still licking those wounds.

It's almost laughable, that he would find himself wanting a _demon_ to keep him company, to listen to his secrets and help him carry his burdens. As a witch he's grown up believing demons are wicked and evil to be destroyed before they destroy you. But Kenma . . . he's different. He has to be. Kuroo would know if he was being toyed with again, wouldn't he? "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" and all that?

Shaking his head to clear it, he splashes his face with some cold water, before exiting the bathroom. He stands in the doorway for a moment, looking to where he left Kenma in the middle of the room. He seems somewhat agitated, hands twitching at his sides, teeth nibbling on his lower lip, as he stares at the door.

"Hey," Kuroo says, moving towards him. He presses his fingers beneath Kenma's chin, lifting his head to meet his gaze. "You're not going anywhere, okay?"

Kenma nods slowly before looking down at his hands. The one that held Kuroo's is slick with the aloe that transferred to him, and he reaches out to wipe it on Kuroo's shirt. Kuroo bites his lip to keep from laughing.

"Nice," he says, shaking his head. "Couldn't you have used your own shirt?"

Kenma blinks up at him innocently, but Kuroo knows better. Still, he tweaks Kenma's nose fondly, watching it scrunch up in annoyance, and his heart flutters strangely in his chest. Ignoring this, he tilts his head toward the door.

"Come on, we've still got work to do."

 

 

 

 

That night, as Kuroo lies in bed beside Kenma trying to sleep, he finds himself replaying Oikawa's words over in his head. Turning to the side, he finds himself nearly nose to nose with Kenma, his eyes glowing softly in the darkness.

"I'm not wrong to trust you, am I?" he asks quietly, chewing on his lip. "You're not going to eat my heart . . . are you?"

_Idiot. Like he would tell you if that was his plan._

Still, Kuroo searches the shadows of Kenma's features for an answer, for the truth. His chest aches, wondering if he's made one of the stupidest mistakes of his life keeping Kenma around, if not _the_ stupidest.

Kenma leans forward, pressing his forehead against Kuroo's. The eyes never waver from Kuroo's, even though at this proximity it looks like a single golden eye floating in front of him.

"No," Kenma says quietly, his warm breath ghosting across Kuroo's lips.

Kuroo breathes a shaky sigh, smiling wryly then. "And you wouldn't lie to me." He says it as more of a statement than a question, not entirely sure if he believes it no matter how much he wants to.

Kenma blinks slowly, remaining silent. Kuroo swallows hard, rolling back over onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. Kenma's hand touches his side, sliding slowly across his stomach. Kuroo doesn't push him away this time, and Kenma grows bolder, snuggling in close against his side and setting his head on Kuroo's chest. He sighs softly then, sounding content at his body relaxes into sleep.

Kuroo slowly drapes his arm around Kenma. _It shouldn't feel this right,_ he thinks. _Holding him shouldn't comfort me this much._

And yet . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


	4. i wanna come home to you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had to pick up my dad from the airport at 4:30am, so i wrote this while i stayed up all night waiting for when i had to leave. it's 6am now, so i'm sorry if i missed any typos while editing!
> 
> (there's brief blood/gore at the beginning of this chapter, just to forewarn you!)
> 
> enjoy!

Kuroo's standing in complete darkness. He can't see or hear anything. Blackness surrounds him, like he's trapped in a void or one of those black holes Oikawa's always going on about. He doesn't feel panic yet, just a mild curiosity. It's strange, to be sure, but there's nothing to fear about simple darkness. He's definitely experienced worse things.

He moves forward. At least, he thinks he's moving forward. It's difficult to tell, but after a few minutes (seconds? hours?) he sees something in the distance. A beam of light shines from somewhere above, illuminating a hunched figure. It appears to be human, with pale skin and light hair. It's naked; its back to Kuroo. It seems to be eating something, from the way its head and shoulders move, and the faint sound of chewing.

Something about it feels familiar, but it's not until Kuroo's standing directly behind the figure that he recognizes it.

"Kenma?"

The head comes up. Turns to face him. It's Kenma, his nose, mouth, and chin covered with blood. Kuroo recoils, suppressing the bile that rises in his throat. Clapping his hand over his mouth, he stares in horror as Kenma brings the thing in his bloody hands up to his lips to bite into it.

It's a heart.

Blood spurts, as his sharp teeth sink deep into the muscle. He tears a piece away, chewing slowly, as his golden eyes burn into Kuroo.

His chest tightens, panic filling him now. He clutches at his chest, knowing without looking that the heart in Kenma's hands is his own.

He can't breathe. There's a rushing noise in his ears, as he gasps, struggling for air.

 

 

 

He awakes with a start. It's still difficult to breathe, and when he looks down he sees why. Kenma's lying directly on top of him, legs tangled with his, forearms folded on Kuroo's chest where he's resting his head.

"K-Kenma," Kuroo wheezes, tensing despite himself. The nightmare is still fresh in his mind. "H-heavy."

Kenma lifts his head, blinking into Kuroo's face. Kuroo takes his waist, pushing him off gently and sitting up. He's sweating lightly, his sleep shirt sticking to his chest and back. An involuntary shudder runs through him as he recalls the nightmare, and he finds himself hesitant to look over at Kenma, despite feeling his eyes watching him still.

In an attempt to escape that gaze, Kuroo gets out of bed, heading into the bathroom. It's still dark outside, but his heart is pounding so quickly, Kuroo doubts he'll be able to go back to sleep.

It's the day of the license exam.

 _I'm just nervous about it,_ Kuroo reasons, as he splashes his face with cold water. _That's why I had the nightmare._

It's probably also the lingering guilt he still feels over what happened with Oikawa. It's been a month, and Kuroo's heard nothing from him after their argument over what to do with Kenma. Kuroo's sent him dozens of texts ranging from apologetic to annoyed to concerned and every emotion in between. He knows Oikawa can hold a grudge like nobody else in the world, but they're best friends. Surely he can get over himself long enough to let Kuroo fix things.

Sighing, Kuroo rubs his hand over his hair, making his bed-head worse. He shuffles out of the bathroom, hiking his sagging sweatpants over his hips absently. Kenma's lying in the bed, watching him with those glowing eyes. Kuroo pauses, chewing on his lip. Limbs slender and limp against the rumpled blankets, dressed only in the old shirt Kuroo gave him, he seems harmless. Aside from the eyes, there seems nothing unusual about him, and Kuroo tries his best to dismiss the image from his dream.

It's been nearly two months, and Kenma's done nothing to harm him. In fact, he's just grown more affectionate. He still has his moments where he pouts or gets annoyed, but he hasn't thrown as many tantrums, and he's taken to sitting on or near Kuroo whenever possible. Instead of finding corners to hide and sleep in, he'll curl up at Kuroo's feet in the shop, or beside him on the bed while Kuroo studies.

And Kuroo has to admit he's only grown fonder of Kenma himself. With Oikawa avoiding him, and Iwaizumi refusing to participate in the drama altogether, that ugly loneliness threatens to rear its head. It's especially difficult to ignore it when he looks at his phone and _sees_ those read receipts with no response. But having Kenma there helps. He's not alone, and it's nice to have someone warm to hold at night.

Kenma whines softly, reaching across the bed for him, as his head drops against the pillows, and he yawns. His sharp teeth glint in the moonlight coming from the window, and Kuroo winces inwardly, remembering how they looked covered in blood, ripping into the heart.

Still, he makes himself walk forward, getting back into bed despite being wide awake. Kenma immediately presses in against his side, arm wrapping around his waist, leg slipping between his. Kuroo sighs, absently playing with Kenma's hair, telling himself that he's okay. He's fine. Kenma isn't trying to eat his heart, and he's studied his ass off for the exam. Oikawa will get over things eventually, hopefully. Everything is going to be okay.

At least, until Akimoto gets back and finds Kenma.

"I don't suppose you'd be okay staying locked up in here indefinitely," Kuroo says aloud into the dark room, grimacing at the thought of having to keep Kenma caged in his room.

Kenma growls softly under his breath.

"I didn't think so," Kuroo sighs.

It's a long three hours until sunrise.

 

 

 

 

Coffee does wonders, and Kuroo thanks the gods for whoever invented it.

Leaving the shop to Yaku and Kenma, Kuroo takes the train downtown to where his coven's council's headquarters stands. For being run by people with magical abilities, it looks less Full Metal Alchemist and more Metropolitan Government. All shiny chrome and metal and glass, rising a couple dozen stories high. The fact that Kuroo's coven is the largest in Tokyo means it gets the most funding, which means it can afford better buildings than say, Iwaizumi's smaller, less popular coven.

As he stares up at the large characters above the front doors that read, "House of the Eastern Star," he can't help but feel a twinge of trepidation. Out of habit, he pulls his phone out of his pocket to text Oikawa, but his fingers stall over the keyboard.

He stands there for a full minute, staring down at the list of texts he's sent Oikawa over the month. Sighing, he finally types out a quick, _going in now. wish me luck if you still care_ before grimacing and backspacing.

_going in for the exam now. and if ur wondering if im nervous the answer is, yes, yes i am. heres hoping i dont blow myself up!_

Shoving his phone into his pocket before he can see if Oikawa's read it or not, he inhales deeply and strides into the building.

The receptionist (who seems way too perky for this early in the morning) directs him to a room two floors up and three doors down. The inside of the building is immaculately clean. Kuroo swears he can see his reflection in the tile beneath his feet, as he makes his way down to the elevator. There are a couple other young people his age waiting there, and he gives them all a brief nod, sticking his hands into his pockets. They nod back, both looking as tired and haggard as he feels.

 _I wonder what they'd think if they knew I had a demon in my bed back home,_ his mind wanders, as he steps into the elevator with them. He resists the urge to laugh aloud at the absurdity of his situation. If these people knew about Kenma, they'd revoke his right to a license in an instant.

He can't help but wonder what kind of secrets these other apprentices have. Surely he can't be the only one with a reason to fear the council's wrath. Hell, maybe even some council members themselves have skeletons in their closets. Nobody's perfect, and there always seems to be a hypocrite or two in power.

The elevator dings, and he and the others step out, making their way to the third room. It's set up like a lecture hall, rows and rows of seats going up toward the back of the room. The proctor greets them and tells them to select any seat they prefer. Kuroo immediately recognizes a head of green and black hair sitting in the front row, where he normally sits.

Daishou doesn't notice him. His eyes are closed, as though he's meditating. Kuroo resists the urge to walk up and demand that he move, hurrying up the stairs instead to choose a seat near the middle of the room.

He settles down with a sigh, telling himself to stop thinking unnecessary thoughts. He needs to focus.

The tests are handed out face down, and they're required to place their cell phones on the table in front of them in sight so the proctor can tell if they're using them or not. Kuroo closes his eyes briefly, repeating a mantra over and over in his mind.

_You know the material. You know the material. You know the material._

"All right," the proctor says. "You have an hour and a half to complete this written portion of your exam. If you finish early, please do not disturb the other test takers. All the tests will be gathered at the end of the time given." He glances at his watch. "You may begin . . . now."

 

 

 

 

An hour and a half later, Kuroo exits the room feeling fairly confident that he passed. The questions were easier than he thought they'd be, and he only struggled on a few of the more obscure spells he needed to identify. He knows he aced the history and vocabulary sections for sure. And the questions about the coven laws were easy enough, though he had to stifle his guilt when he reached the questions on demons.

_Demons are creatures from Hell and are the most dangerous enemy to humans. They are made of dark energy. Their only objective is to kill, maim, or curse those they come in contact with. If you find yourself confronted with a demon, you are to a) kill it immediately, b) detain it and contact your coven council, c) banish it back to its realm, or d) all of the above_

It was somewhat of a trick question. The correct answer is D, Kuroo knows, because circumstances can be different for every demon encounter. Still, knowing he did none of these things and, in fact, _kept_ his demon like some lost puppy made answering that question somewhat difficult. Three months ago he would've checked off the correct answer without a second thought, but now the idea of turning Kenma over or killing him makes his chest clench tightly around his heart.

 _Kenma isn't like other demons,_ Kuroo reminds himself. He has no idea _why_ , but it's the truth. It has to be.

Why else would he behave the way he does?

The next part of the exam is the physical test. This is the one Kuroo's been dreading. It requires standing in front of members of the coven council and completing a series of spells, to then be graded on his technique, his strength, and whether or not the spell actually works. It's this test he's had the least amount of time to practice, and as he stands in line in front of the double doors behind which are the people that will seal his fate, he feels sick to his stomach.

He flips his phone over and over again in his pocket, half-hoping for it to buzz with a text. As he's standing there, he catches a glimpse of a familiar figure walking down the hallway toward him, flanked on either side by boys Kuroo doesn't recognize. His heart twists slightly in his chest, but it's not as painful as he expected it to be, seeing him after all this time.

Shibayama Yuuki lifts his eyes then, and they meet Kuroo's just as he's about to walk past. Kuroo lifts his hand in a slight wave, a crooked smile lifting the corner of his mouth almost instinctively. Yuuki stops short, his eyes widening in surprise.

"K-Kuroo-san!"

His friends stop as well, regarding Kuroo curiously. Their expressions don't seem hostile, and Kuroo wonders if Yuuki has mentioned him at all to them.

"Hey," Kuroo says, sticking his hand into his pocket. "It's good to see you. How are you?" It comes out easier than he thought it would, and he finds himself still smiling, as Yuuki flushes slightly and shifts on his feet.

"I'm good," he says, nodding. "I'm getting my training permit today."

"Oh yeah? That's awesome," Kuroo says genuinely, his smile growing. "You're a smart kid; you'll ace that test for sure."

Yuuki starts to smile, before he seems to catch himself and it disappears. Kuroo frowns faintly.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Oh, um, yes?" Yuuki returns hesitantly.

Kuroo can't help but laugh. "How reassuring."

Yuuki shakes his head quickly. "Sorry! Sorry, I just . . . I don't know. I kind of expected you to be mad at me . . . or something." He scratches behind his ear, not meeting Kuroo's gaze.

Kuroo's heart sinks slightly in his chest. "Mad at you? Yuuki, I told you from the start that I wasn't mad . . ."

"I know!" Yuuki says quickly. "But you also said we could still be friends and then you never . . . I-I never heard from you. So I . . . just assumed . . ."

"Oh." Kuroo rubs the back of his neck, grimacing. "Right. I did say that, huh?" He sighs, letting his hand fall to the side in a helpless gesture. "I took it pretty hard at first, I'll admit. And then I didn't want to bother you . . . getting texts from your ex when you're with your new boyfriend isn't exactly welcome, right?"

Yuuki bites his lip, and his expression twists into one Kuroo can't read. He scrambles to think of what he said wrong.

"But it's not like I stopped caring! I was just trying to be courteous to you and Daishou, and I—"

"There is no me and Daishou," Yuuki interrupts, scowling at the floor.

Kuroo's mind screeches to a halt. "What?"

Yuuki scuffs the toe of his shoe against the floor. "Daishou and I aren't together. He dumped me the day after I agreed to go out with him. Said it'd been 'fun,' but I wasn't really his type." He covers his face with his hands. "I was too embarrassed to tell you. I figured you wouldn't take me back anyway after that so I just . . . I'm sorry!"

Kuroo hears the apology, but it doesn't completely register with him. He's stuck on what Yuuki said before, replaying the words over in his mind, as hot anger starts to broil in his chest, his hands clenching into fists.

"He what?"

Yuuki lowers his hands slowly. "Um. He dumped me?"

"That motherfucker . . ." Kuroo steps out of line, looking up and down the apprentices gathered to find Daishou. He spots him near the front, looking idly at his nails. He starts forward, his blood rushing in his ears.

"Kuroo-san!" Yuuki grabs his arm.

It takes all of his self-control not to shake him off. He looks down at small, adorable Yuuki and grinds his teeth, jaw tense.

"It was months ago," Yuuki says, shaking his head. "I'm fine now. I promise!"

Kuroo forces himself to simmer down. Reaching up, he cups the side of Yuuki's face briefly before moving his hand back to his side.

"I'm sorry," he says hoarsely, realizing he should've checked up on Yuuki a lot sooner. He shouldn't have let his pride and hurt get in the way of making sure Yuuki was really, truly happy.

"You didn't know," Yuuki says, pulling his hand back. He gives Kuroo a bright smile. "Don't worry, Kuroo-san! My friends helped me get over it, and I'm good!"

Kuroo nods dumbly. Yuuki flushes then, glancing at those still waiting in the queue, but everyone seems to be in their own world or on their phone. Nobody's watching them. Standing on his tiptoes, Yuuki tugs lightly on Kuroo's sleeve until Kuroo leans down to allow him to place a soft, chaste peck on his cheek.

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

Kuroo gives him a wan smile. "I think that's my line."

Yuuki giggles (actually giggles, so adorable), before waving and heading off down the hall to where his friends are waiting for him. Kuroo waits until he's disappeared around the corner before striding over to Daishou and grabbing him by the back of his shirt collar. Yanking him off his feet, Kuroo ignores the yelp of indignation and drags Daishou across the hall back into the classroom they just exited. It's empty, and Kuroo flings Daishou against the wall.

"You fucking piece of shit," he hisses, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing attention from outside.

"What did I do now?" Daishou asks, his voice strained even as he attempts to act nonchalant. He straightens, readjusting his shirt while Kuroo steps back, doing everything in his power not to punch Daishou square in the face.

"After all that, after sneaking and slithering and maneuvering your way between me and Yuuki, you go and you fucking dump him? Do you realize how _shitty_ a thing that is to do? What was the fucking point of all that then?! You hurt a genuinely nice kid, a sweet kid, for _what_?!"

"I never wanted Shibayama," Daishou spits, and he actually appears angry, which seems incredibly backwards to Kuroo. "You're really fucking dense, you know that?"

"Explain it to me then!" Kuroo says, throwing his hands in the air. "If you didn't really want him, then why did you do it? Was it just to hurt me? What the fuck did I ever do to you?!"

"You chose him over me!" Daishou exclaims, his face starting to grow red.

Kuroo stares at him. "What the hell?" he says, shaking his head. "I never stopped hanging out with you! We still did shit together! What do you mean—"

He breaks off because, quite suddenly, Daishou grabs him by the front of his shirt and yanks him close, crashing his lips against Kuroo's. It's a mess of lips and teeth, and before Kuroo can even really comprehend what's happening, Daishou's shoving him away just as abruptly as he grabbed him.

"I . . . what?" Kuroo blinks, his mouth sore, and his brain scrambled.

"You're a fucking idiot," Daishou says breathlessly, face still red as he clenches his hands into fists. "I hate you and Shibayama and loud-mouthed idiot you replaced me with. I hope that stupid demon eats your heart."

Before Kuroo can say anything, Daishou turns on his heel and stalks out of the room.

Kuroo's still standing there, staring at the wall as he suddenly rethinks the entirety of the past nine months, when a girl with pigtails and glasses sticks her head into the room and tells him she's not going to be holding his place in line anymore if he doesn't hurry. Kuroo blinks at her, muttering an apology. He doesn't remember asking anyone to hold his spot, but he hurries back out into the hallway and takes his place in the queue.

 _This . . . has to be some sort of master plan,_ he thinks. _He's trying to throw me off my game so I do poorly in the exam._

It'd make sense too, if it wasn't for the very real anger and hurt he saw in Daishou's face.

 

 

 

 

 

Kuroo steps out of the building still in somewhat of a daze. He's pretty sure he just flunked the physical test, but he's finding it difficult to concentrate on that. His mind is still whirling over this new Daishou revelation, and he wishes he could call up Oikawa to get his opinion on it. When he looks at his phone and sees that there's still no reply to his texts, he sighs and simply makes his way back to the shop.

Yaku greets him with a smile, asking how it went. Kuroo just shrugs, sighing tiredly.

"Where's Kenma?"

"Upstairs," Yaku says, pointing. "He wouldn't do a thing I asked him to do, so I told him to just forget it. The day's been slow anyway."

"Thanks. I'll be down in a bit I just need to . . . nap or something," Kuroo says, stifling a yawn now that a nap is on his mind.

Yaku rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'll keep watching the shop. It's not like I get paid extra for this."

Kuroo waves him off. "Yeah, yeah, I'll give you a raise. Remind me tomorrow." He jogs up the stairs, already looking forward to his warm bed and soft mattress.

Kenma's waiting for him. It eases the weight on Kuroo's chest when he sees how Kenma's face brightens, as he steps into the room. Grinning faintly, Kuroo goes to join him on the bed, flopping face-first into the pillows with a sigh. Kenma's hand shoves at his shoulder repeatedly until Kuroo lifts his head, turning it to look up into Kenma's expectant gaze.

"It went okay," he says, rolling onto his back. "I won't know my results until later next week." He bites his lip. "Yuuki was there . . . he's doing okay, I think. It was kind of a relief to see him. I'd been putting it off . . . way too long."

He sighs again, remembering what came after. He lays his arm across his face, wondering if it would help any to divulge what happened. He knows Kenma probably won't be able to give any advice, but . . . he's proven himself to be a good listener so far.

"Daishou was there too. He . . . kissed me."

He grimaces, recalling the harsh pressure of Daishou's lips. "Well, if you could call it a kiss. It was more like he punched me with his mouth."

Kenma tugs at his arm, pulling it away from his face. When Kuroo opens his eyes, he finds Kenma staring down at him, that cute, perplexed frown wrinkling his forehead.

"Oh. You don't know what a kiss is, do you?" At the shake of Kenma's head, Kuroo frowns, trying to think of how to explain. "Well, it's . . . uh. When you like someone you generally want to kiss them. Not all the time but . . . it's a special thing, between two people who like each other." When Kenma's expression doesn't change, Kuroo wracks his brain for a better descriptor.

"It's . . . you just . . . uh, you go in . . . and just with your mouth . . . you like . . ." He presses his hands together before pulling them apart and pressing them together again. Kenma stares at his hands blankly. Groaning, Kuroo runs his hands over his face. "I don't know how to explain it."

Sitting up, he grabs his laptop off his desk, settling back into bed with it and propping it open on his stomach. Pulling up the last movie he was watching (rewatching), he drags the circle along the progress bar until he finds the scene where the main couple kiss for the first time. He turns the laptop toward Kenma then and hits play.

"That's a kiss," he says, as the two come together in a passionate embrace. "It's not always just like that but—"

"KUROO!"

Kuroo glances toward the door, recognizing Yaku's yell. He sits up and hands Kenma the laptop. "Here. You can watch it from the beginning if you want. It's a pretty good movie." He moves the circle back to the beginning, allowing the movie to start over, before getting off the bed and heading for the door.

Down in the shop, he finds Yaku behind the counter like normal. He's not in distress at all, and Kuroo huffs, hands on his hips.

"Well?" he asks, trying not to sound annoyed.

Yaku nods towards the door. Turning, Kuroo looks at the customer who appears to have just walked in.

Only it's not just any customer, it's Iwaizumi.

And there's blood dripping down his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What the hell _happened_?"

Kuroo has Iwaizumi sitting in his desk chair, head tilted back while he carefully wipes away the blood with a wet washcloth. Kenma's still on the bed, glancing up from the movie every now and then to observe what's going on.

"They found out I took Tooru with me on the assignment," Iwaizumi says, his voice low. He winces, as Kuroo pats at the cuts on his forehead, the ones that form the characters: 裏切り者 

Traitor.

"How the hell did they find that out?" Kuroo mutters.

"I don't know," Iwaizumi sighs. "They found out almost a week after we got back. They kept me locked up for a while, to keep me away from him and to figure out my punishment. This is what they decided on." He gestures to his head.

"It's temporary, right?" Kuroo asks hopefully.

"Yeah. But it'll be there for a while."

Kuroo wants to demand who did this to him. He wants to storm over to Iwaizumi's coven and hex every single one of those damn members. But Iwaizumi looks worn, tired, and he knows that wouldn't be helpful right now.

"Does Oikawa know?" he asks.

Iwaizumi shakes his head. "They took away my phone."

"Shit. He must be worried sick!" Kuroo says, reaching for his own phone. _Is that why he hasn't been replying to my messages?_ He takes back every bad thought he had toward Oikawa this past month.

"Don't," Iwaizumi chokes out, grabbing Kuroo's wrist.

"Hajime, come on," Kuroo says, pleadingly. "You have to tell him."

"I don't want him to see me like this," Iwaizumi says, shaking his head. "He's going to blame himself."

"I'm sure he's already figured out why you haven't been returning his calls and messages," Kuroo says pointedly. "He's not stupid, Iwaizumi. He's probably plotting an elaborate jailbreak."

Iwaizumi grimaces. "You're probably right," he admits with a wry grin. He gestures to his head then. "At least . . . wait until this stops bleeding."

Kuroo sighs. "Okay," he says, turning back to treating the wound.

Iwaizumi grows silent, but Kuroo can still see the tension in his jaw and shoulders. Kenma sets aside the laptop, the movie still playing as he hops off the bed and walks toward the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kuroo calls after him, but Kenma doesn't stop or break his stride. Shaking his head, Kuroo returns to the cuts, carefully wiping the excess blood away. The wounds are not deep, but they're deliberate, as though each stroke was done slowly, painfully.

"You fucking need to leave this coven, Iwaizumi," Kuroo says, bitterly.

"You know it's not that simple," Iwaizumi says, sighing.

"Let me sic Kenma on them, then."

Iwaizumi actually laughs weakly at that.

Kenma trots back into the room, something clutched in his palm. When he reaches Kuroo, he opens it to reveal a blue healing stone, similar to the one he gave Oikawa a month ago. Kuroo's heart swells at the sight, realizing what Kenma's trying to do. Unfortunately, he has to shake his head.

"Sorry, Kenma," he says, smiling sadly. "That won't work for this type of injury."

Kenma frowns, reaching up and placing the stone lightly against Iwaizumi's forehead. He looks from the stone to Kuroo and back again, shaking the stone over the marks, as his expression falls into a frown of frustration.

"It's okay," Iwaizumi says, reaching up to take Kenma's wrist. His touch is delicate, and Kenma allows him to lower his hand away from his forehead. "I'll be okay. Thank you, though."

Kenma huffs, dropping the stone into Iwaizumi's lap before climbing back up onto the bed and pulling the laptop close to resume watching the movie. Kuroo bites back a smile, as he dabs the last of the blood away.

Iwaizumi looks thoughtful, as he watches Kenma on the bed, his fingers flipping the stone over absently.

"He really isn't like the demons we've been told about, huh?" he observes.

Kuroo shakes his head. "I don't know what it is about him, but he's different. Every day he seems more human. It's almost like . . . it's almost like he _wants_ to be human."

Iwaizumi snorts softly. "Gotta wonder sometimes if it's worth it. Seems like it'd be easier to be a demon. Never having to worry about emotions or relationships or dysfunctional families."

Kuroo shrugs. "I honestly don't know why he's like this. It's not like he's told me."

Iwaizumi bites his lip, looking down at the stone in his hand. "We were . . . really quick to judge, last time we were here. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Kuroo says quickly. "I mean, I get it. And Oikawa was just trying to be protective, I know."

Iwaizumi nods, his lips twitching. "Yeah. He's like that."

Kuroo reaches down, taking the stone and pressing his phone into Iwaizumi's hand to replace it. "Call him."

Nodding, Iwaizumi does. Kuroo throws the washcloth into the sink to rinse out later, before joining Kenma on the bed. As Iwaizumi crosses to the other side of the room to speak quietly into the phone, Kenma snuggles up to Kuroo's side, nuzzling his shoulder. Kuroo recognizes the signal for pets, and lightly strokes his hand over the top of Kenma's head.

"You're really something, you know?" he murmurs. "I never thought I'd say this about a demon but . . . I'm actually really glad you came into my life."

Kenma doesn't say anything, of course he doesn't, but Kuroo finds his chest warming anyway. He turns his head, kissing the top of Kenma's lightly, before settling back to watch the movie.

The peace is broken fifteen minutes later when Oikawa bursts into the room with a cry of "IWA-CHAN!"

"Hey," Iwaizumi says sheepishly.

Oikawa crosses over to him, taking his face in both his hands. He stares at Iwaizumi for a moment, eyes going over his features slowly as though trying to memorize them. Then he pulls him close for a deep kiss. Kenma straightens, eyes brightening in recognition. He points at the two, before gesturing to the laptop and then looking at Kuroo as though for confirmation.

"Yeah," he says with a nod, his chest aching for some reason. "That's a kiss."

He reaches out to close the laptop, taking Kenma's hand, then. "Come on. Let's give the kids some privacy."

Kenma keeps glancing back, even after Kuroo shuts the door and leads him downstairs. He's frowning slightly, as though in thought, and when Kuroo releases his hand to join Yaku behind the counter, Kenma doesn't immediately follow but remains by the stairs, frowning into space.

"I'm not even going to ask what kind of drama is going on," Yaku says, shaking his head.

"It'd be difficult to explain," Kuroo admits, and while he's happy that his friends are resolving their issues upstairs, he can't shake that faint ache that's entered his chest. It feels almost like jealousy, but that's ridiculous.

_I'm not in love with anyone, so there's no reason for me to jealous of something like that._

He glances toward Kenma, who's staring at the ground now, still lost in his head. Strangely, that ache grows stronger, and Kuroo turns away, conscious that he's missing something but willfully ignoring it. His life _really_ doesn't need to get more complicated right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's another hour before Oikawa and Iwaizumi make their way downstairs, both looking suspiciously rumpled. Kuroo's already sent Yaku home for the evening and Kenma's taken to flipping through one of the books from the shelf beside the counter, though Kuroo doubts he can read any of it.

"Please tell me you didn't just have sex on my bed," Kuroo says, dropping his feet from the counter where he'd been resting them. He stands, unable to keep from smirking faintly, as he looks at their joined hands.

"Your bed hasn't lost its virginity, don't worry," Oikawa says, sticking out his tongue. "Your wall, however, is a different story altogether."

"Which wall? Wait, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Oikawa snickers, though he stops when Iwaizumi gives him a slight nudge. The atmosphere shifts, then, and when Oikawa turns back he's wearing his serious face. Before he can open his mouth, though, Kuroo holds up a hand to cut him off.

"Don't worry about it," he says, shaking his head. "As long as we're good now, you don't have to explain."

Oikawa nods, looking relieved. He glances toward Kenma. "Iwa-chan tells me we should give Kenma-chan a chance. That he might be good for you after all." He looks back at Kuroo, raising an eyebrow. "I'd still like to see this for myself, but Iwa-chan's a good judge of character. He chose me for his boyfriend, after all!"

"That was actually my one lapse in judgment," Iwaizumi says, biting back a smile at Oikawa's offended yelp. He lifts his free hand in a wave. "Thanks for everything," he says.

"No problem," Kuroo says. "I'll see you later."

"I want to hear all about the exam!" Oikawa exclaims, pointing at Kuroo. "All the details! Don't hold back!"

"Why? So you can take notes for your own exam?" Kuroo asks, smirking.

Oikawa winks. "Why do you think I opted to take the later one?"

Kuroo laughs, his chest feeling lighter than it has all day. All month, really. "I never thought I'd say this, but I missed you."

Oikawa waves his hand dismissively. "None of that sappy stuff. Crying will ruin my makeup."

"Goodnight," Kuroo says, shaking his head.

The two leave, and Kuroo locks up behind them. Once making sure everything is in place, he beckons to Kenma and the two make their way back upstairs. It feels strange not having to throw himself into studying, but it's a great relief as well. He showers and changes for bed, brushing his teeth, before throwing himself onto the bed with a contented sigh. The day didn't turn out so terribly after all. Even though . . .

He frowns suddenly as his mind oh-so-helpfully brings up the situation with Daishou. He still has no idea how he's going to handle that, or if he should do anything at all.

Kenma touches his forehead where it's wrinkled, stroking the spot lightly.

"I'm fine," Kuroo tries to reassure him. He musters up a smile, but from the way Kenma looks at him, Kuroo can tell it doesn't fool him. "I will be fine," he amends.

Kenma studies him for a moment, his expression as blank as ever. But then he leans close and, very lightly, touches his lips to Kuroo's.

Kuroo's heart immediately speeds into overdrive, and his eyes widen, as he looks up into Kenma's face, as he pulls away. That's twice today he's been caught off-guard by a kiss, and like before he has no idea what to do.

"Uh," he chokes, sitting up.

Kenma's expression doesn't change. Shifting slightly, he throws one leg over Kuroo's lap, settling down on his thighs, as his hands move to hold Kuroo's shoulders. Kuroo's heart pounds rapidly in his ears, and he sits, completely frozen, stomach fluttering.

_What is this? What's going on?_

It's completely different from earlier. His heart didn't race like this when Daishou kissed him. Something more than shock is going on here, and while Kuroo isn't an idiot, he has no idea if he wants to open this whole new can of worms.

He reaches for Kenma's waist with the intention of moving him off his lap, but Kenma's fingers dig into his shoulders, and he refuses to budge.

"Kenma," he says desperately, feelings he thought he'd buried and taken care of under layers upon layers of denial suddenly starting to seep their way through the cracks of his resolve. _Weird, weird this is weird. This isn't right. This is wrong. Wrong wrong wrong—_

Kenma kisses him again, pressing just a little deeper this time. He parts his lips, slotting them between Kuroo's, and Kuroo finds himself curling his fingers into Kenma's shirt, gripping loosely. That ache has returned to his chest, that deep sense of longing.

_This is a trick. He's going to eat your heart. He's a demon. You can't have feelings for a demon!_

Kenma mewls softly, pressing against Kuroo's chest, one hand moving to the back of his neck to nudge him forward, encouraging him. His lips retreat slightly only to press again, press and retreat, press and retreat, small open mouth kisses that grow more and more frantic as Kenma tries to elicit a response.

Kuroo's breathing hard; he can hear it, feel each gasp struggle against the tightness of his chest.

"Tetsurou," Kenma whines, fingers slipping up to tangle in the back of Kuroo's hair.

Something snaps inside Kuroo at the sound of his name. His grip tightens, and he pulls Kenma firmly against his chest. He opens his mouth, moving his lips against Kenma's, pushing hard, deep. A low purr vibrates Kenma's throat, and Kuroo can feel it move across his jaw. He moans, low, guttural, slipping his tongue into Kenma's mouth. It's hot and wet, and pinpricks of fire dance along his tongue, traveling across his skin and into his veins. Kenma's tongue feels strange against his, less squishy than a human tongue, but he dismisses the sense of "weird" or "wrong."

It's Kenma, so how could it be weird? How could it be wrong?

His body feels flushed, blood rushing through him, throbbing between Kenma's legs. He moves his hands down to Kenma's hips, rocking them forward so that he can feel the friction of Kenma's ass against the growing bulge in his pants. Another groan shakes his chest, and he breaks away from the kiss in order to breathe.

Kenma whimpers in protest, tugging on Kuroo's hair gently. Kuroo laughs breathlessly, pressing his forehead against Kenma's.

"I shouldn’t be doing this," he admits, shaking his head.

Kenma stills, hand falling away from Kuroo's hair. Kuroo catches it quickly, though, wrapping his fingers around Kenma's and bringing them to his lips to kiss their tips lightly.

"I don't care though," he assures him quickly. He leans back in order to look into Kenma's face. He releases the hand in order to brush Kenma's hair back from his face. The markings don't even look unnatural anymore, he realizes. They're just a part of Kenma.

And Kenma . . .

Kuroo laughs again. "You did it anyway, didn't you?"

Kenma tilts his head, frowning faintly in confusion.

Kuroo grins. "You ate my heart."

Kenma's eyes widen, and he quickly shakes his head. "No."

Kuroo smirks, holding the side of Kenma's face to still it. "Yeah, yeah you did. Maybe not literally but . . . I care about you, Kenma. I think I might . . ." He swallows hard, wondering if he's really about to say this. "I think I might even lo—"

A shrill noise interrupts him, and he grimaces, looking over at his phone which is buzzing and ringing on the edge of his desk. He reaches over to turn it off before recognizing the name on the screen.

"Oh, shit," Kuroo says, moving to answer it quickly. "Hello?"

"Tetsurou," Akimoto says, his voice just as deep and commanding as Kuroo remembers. "I just arrived in Tokyo last night. I'll be back at the shop on Monday. Make sure the inventory is done."

"Y-yes sir," Kuroo says, before Akimoto hangs up without another word.

Kuroo stares down at his phone as it goes back to his lock-screen with the time and date staring back at him.

22:34  
Saturday, December 17

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Beechichi for fixing my Japanese!
> 
> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


	5. if you don't mind, i'll walk that line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rating goes up for this chapter!
> 
> ((to skip the smut, stop at "He shifts his hand further down" and skip to "Kuroo catches himself staring"))
> 
> Enjoy!

Kuroo stands in front of a modest house. It's not as modern as some of the newer houses in Tokyo, but it's well-kept with a garden in the front that's blooming beautifully and appears well loved. It's two stories and in an upper-middle class neighborhood, perfect for a nuclear family.

Looking to the side, Kuroo reaches up to adjust the hood that's covering Kenma's face. There's nothing in his expression that tells Kuroo if he knows what's going on or not, but he's holding Kuroo's hand and hasn't let go despite them taking this trip with plenty of opportunities for Kenma to run away.

"Do you trust me?" Kuroo asks now, looking down into Kenma's face. He chews on his lip, a habit he's been doing all day. He releases it as he feels a sting of pain, the raw skin finally breaking.

Kenma reaches up with his free hand, wiping the spot of blood away with the pad of his thumb. Kuroo wants to chase after the touch, but he keeps his head still, giving Kenma a tiny half-smile instead.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes," Kenma says, barely above a whisper.

Kuroo nods, inhaling deeply before turning and knocking on the door. Not two minutes later, Oikawa opens it, looking from Kuroo to Kenma and back again. He smiles, but Kuroo can see the tension in the corners of his eyes and mouth.

"I can't remember the last time you came to visit!" Oikawa says, stepping back to allow them inside. "Did you miss me that much, Tetsu-chan?"

Kuroo toes off his shoes, gesturing for Kenma to do the same. He does so readily, looking around the interior of the house with a curious expression. Finally slipping out of Kuroo's grasp, he wanders the front room, looking at the family photos on the walls, the small shrine to Oikawa's grandparents in front of the window, the large kotatsu table set up in the center with multiple cushions set up around it.

While Kenma explores, Kuroo turns to Oikawa, lowering his voice.

"I'm sorry for bringing him here."

"What the fuck, Tetsurou," Oikawa hisses back. "What if my parents were here? What if someone had noticed his face and recognized what he is?"

"I enchanted the hood, I'm not stupid," Kuroo says with a frown. "And I know your parents are out of town for that assignment. When will they be back?"

Oikawa huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not for a couple more weeks," he admits.

"I need you to do me a favor. And after the hell you put me through this past month, I think you should at least hear me out before saying anything."

Oikawa closes his mouth, as he had been about to protest. He lowers his arms, fiddling with the cuff of his long-sleeved shirt.

"I couldn't deal with both you and finding Iwa-chan, and I . . . prioritized Iwa-chan. I'm not going to apologize for that."

"Fine. Whatever," Kuroo says, shaking his head. "I get it, okay? But you still hurt me, and if you want to make it up to me this is how you can do it."

Oikawa glances toward Kenma, who's crawled half-way under the kotatsu table, his backside and feet sticking out from under the blanket. After a moment, though, these disappear too until he's completely beneath the table.

Turning back to Kuroo, Oikawa gestures to the kitchen. "Tea?"

Once they're settled at the kitchen table (when they checked the kotatsu they found Kenma had fallen asleep, and Kuroo didn't want to disturb him), Oikawa looks at Kuroo expectantly, fingers folded around his mug. Kuroo takes a sip of his tea before speaking.

"Akimoto is back in Tokyo," he says. "He's returning to the shop tomorrow."

"Well. Fuck," Oikawa says, taking a drink of his own tea.

"Yeah." Kuroo grimaces. "Obviously Kenma can't stay at the shop so . . . I mean, since your parents are gone and everything . . ."

Oikawa's eyes widen. "You want him to stay _here_?"

"You're my only option," Kuroo says desperately.

"How about _sending him back to where he belongs_?"

Kuroo bites his lip again, heedless of the sting, as he stares down at the mug cupped between his hands.

"Oh my god." Oikawa leans forward, trying to catch his gaze. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Kuroo sighs. "Will you take him in or not?"

"Kuroo . . ." Oikawa sits back, pursing his lips. "Did he do this to you? Are you under a spell?"

Kuroo shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure I'm not. Oikawa, he isn't like those demons we were warned about as kids. He's different. Maybe he was kind of unruly at first, but he's really changed over the past couple months. And he wants to stay here. You heard him tell Iwaizumi. He doesn't want to leave unless he can take me with him. I don't know how or why, but he cares about me. And I care about him. I want him to be where he's safe and happy."

"How do you know he wasn't safe and happy back on Hinokoku?" Oikawa asks quietly.

Kuroo rubs his forehead. "I . . . don't, I guess. We can have Iwaizumi ask him. But I’m sure he wants to stay with me. And I . . . want him to stay with me too."

"I've never seen you like this before," Oikawa admits. "You didn't fight this hard for Shiba-chan."

Kuroo shakes his head again, looking down into his tea.

Oikawa sighs. "Okay, Tetsu-chan. I'll look after your little demon. I guess I'm already in enough trouble with Iwa-chan and _knowing_ about you keeping a demon. What's harboring one going to hurt?" He shrugs.

Kuroo grins faintly. "Thanks, Oikawa."

"I know, I'm the best, you can say it."

Kuroo laughs, as he finishes off his tea. His chest feels lighter now, knowing that Kenma will be in good hands. That he'll be safe. He knows it's only a temporary solution, but hopefully it'll be enough to buy him time to figure out what to do. He stands, moving to the sink to set the mug inside it. He turns then, looking across to where Oikawa still sits.

"You have to treat him like a person," he says then, and Oikawa starts, caught off-guard by the statement. "He's not a pet. I know he's not human, but that doesn't mean you can treat him with disrespect. No bossing him around getting him to do things for you. And stop calling him my 'little demon.' His name is Kenma. Got it?"

Oikawa nods, having the decency to look apologetic, at least.

"Roger that," he says with a small salute.

Kuroo nods, heading back into the living area then. This is the part he's been dreading.

Crouching beside the kotatsu, Kuroo grabs the edge of the blanket and folds it over the table top, looking beneath to see Kenma curled beneath the heater, his head pillowed on his arms, his knees curled to his chest. He looks so small and vulnerable, and Kuroo's throat closes at the thought of Kenma being discovered and taken away.

"Kenma . . . hey." He reaches inside to take Kenma's shoulder, shaking him lightly.

Kenma lifts his head slightly, blinking sleepily up at Kuroo. Kuroo's chest squeezes around his heart, as he offers Kenma his hand and a small smile. "I need to talk to you. Can you come out here, please?"

Kenma ignores his hand, but he does crawl out from under the kotatsu. Kuroo takes his shoulders in his hands, looking directly at him.

"Kenma, I need you to listen so you understand, okay?" Reaching up, he pushes back Kenma's hood, revealing his face and all its markings, watching him silently. "My boss is coming back to the shop tomorrow, and he can't know that I kept you there. If he found out about you, he'd have the council take you away and we'd never see each other again. So it's very important that you stay here with Oikawa, and you stay out of sight. You got that?"

Kenma nods. Kuroo leans forward, pressing his lips against Kenma's forehead. His chest aches. Last night after the phone call, he'd lain awake while Kenma slept, staring at the ceiling and devising this plan that he knew would hurt both of them. But if it keeps Kenma safe, then Kuroo's willing to do anything.

It physically hurts to stand and step away from Kenma. Oikawa watches from the kitchen entry-way, as Kuroo makes his way to the door. He slips on his shoes and when he straightens he finds Kenma doing the same. His gut clenches, as he reaches over to grab Kenma's wrist, stopping him from tying his laces.

"No, Kenma," he says as firmly as he can. "You can't come with me."

Kenma frowns, trying to pull his wrist away. Kuroo releases him, but not before shaking his head and saying again, "You have to stay here."

Kenma abandons the shoes and gets to his feet. He grabs Kuroo's hand then, tugging on it insistently, as he starts to walk back toward the kotatsu. Then it's Kuroo's turn to pull away.

"No, Kenma," he says again, his voice breaking on the name. "I-I have to go back, and you have to stay here."

Kenma's frown deepens, and he shakes his head. He reaches out again, and Kuroo forces himself to step back out of reach. His chest twinges, as Kenma follows him, hand outstretched, fingers flexing open and closed, as he tries to get a hold of Kuroo. Kuroo's back hits the door, and he finds himself trapped, as Kenma curls his fingers into Kuroo's shirt and latches on tightly.

"No," he says, staring up at Kuroo with fire in his eyes. He tugs on the shirt. "You stay. With me."

It's the most Kuroo's ever heard Kenma speak, and as he wraps his hand around Kenma's wrist, he feels his eyes burn at the corners.

"Kenma, I'm sorry," he says, every syllable strained. "I-I _can't_." He looks up and over the top of Kenma's head to where Oikawa's still watching, his lips pursed tightly. "You'll be safe here with Oikawa, and I-I can visit. I _will_ visit. I promise."

Kenma shakes his head. "No," he says insistently. "No."

His eyes glimmer strangely, and Kuroo can't help but wonder if those are tears he sees swimming in them. This thought only makes the pain in his chest worse, however, and he releases Kenma's wrist in order to take his face in both his hands.

"I'm not leaving you," he says desperately. "I'm going to be back to visit, I promise. But you have to stay here where it's safe. Until I can figure out a way for us to be together without endangering you . . . you have to stay here. I'm sorry."

The tears spill over, he can't stop them. Kenma's eyes shimmer, and as he blinks, two tears slip down his cheeks as well. Kuroo leans forward, kissing them away gently.

"I'll be back," he says again, setting his forehead against Kenma's. "But please, please stay here. Don't follow me. Don't try to find me. Stay with Oikawa until I get back. Promise me."

Kenma's hand falls away from his shirt. He doesn't speak, and when Kuroo pulls away, Kenma's expression has grown blank.

"I'm sorry," Kuroo chokes out, even as Kenma brushes his hands away and steps out of reach. He turns, making his way back over to the kotatsu table where he crawls beneath it once more, pulling the blanket down to cover him completely. Kuroo looks over at Oikawa helplessly. His friend walks over, holding his arms out.

Kuroo allows himself a brief moment of weakness, falling into Oikawa's chest and gripping him tightly, as he takes a ragged breath and tries to suppress the tears.

"I won't let anything happen to him," Oikawa says into his hair, rubbing his back in slow circles. "You have my word."

"Thank you," Kuroo sighs.

His heart feels like it's been torn in two, and when he steps outside the house and makes his way down the street, back the way he'd come, he can't help but feel like he's left a piece of him behind.

 

 

***

 

 

Akimoto doesn't ask how the exam went. Instead, he berates Kuroo for hiring a delivery boy without talking to him about it first.

"Did you even check the budget to see if we could afford another employee?" the man asks, frowning at both Kuroo and Yaku in front of him.

"I've been paying him out of my own paycheck, sir," Kuroo says, thinking glumly of how he's been paying for the ingredients Daishou's taken too, making his paycheck pretty much non-existent.

Beside him, Yaku starts in surprise. "You've been doing _what_?"

"Well, at least you had the foresight to do that," Akimoto says, sniffing.

"Hang on, I'm not taking money that Kuroo's rightfully earned," Yaku says, holding up his hand and glancing between the two men in front of him. "Either I get my own paycheck or I quit."

Kuroo grimaces. "You can't quit," he says. "Sir, he's been more than just a delivery boy. He's been helping me around the shop this entire time. I think he could be a good asset to keep around."

"So you couldn’t handle it on your own, could you?" Akimoto says with a frown.

"You left him here to run an entire business by himself," Yaku shoots back. "A job that normally takes two people anyway, right? So why don't you get off his back?"

At Kuroo's stunned look, Yaku has the presence of mind to look sheepish and lower his defiant gaze. "Sir," he adds.

Akimoto peers at Yaku before nodding slowly. "I like your assertiveness, if not your tone. Tetsurou, you could learn something from this one." He points his finger at Yaku. "If you've truly been useful, you can stay, with your own paycheck. But you will report directly to me, understand?"

Yaku nods, waiting for Akimoto to step into his office before turning to look up at Kuroo with wide eyes.

"Holy shit," he says under his breath. "Is he always that hard on you?"

Kuroo smirks halfheartedly. "Sometimes, he's worse."

Yaku whistles softly. "No wonder you sent your cousin home. I couldn't imagine Kenma having to deal with that guy. He'd probably bite him or something." He laughs.

Kuroo manages a smile, but his chest aches at the thought of Kenma. Last night Oikawa sent him a Snapchat of Kenma still curled beneath the kotatsu table with the caption "he won't come out :(," and Kuroo had had to resist the urge to go over to Oikawa's right then to hold Kenma and tell him everything will be okay.

He knows he shouldn't make such promises, though. He has no idea if things are going to be okay, and every second Kenma spends in Oikawa's house is a second he could be discovered. So far it doesn't seem like anyone suspects Kenma's true identity and if anyone does, hopefully they won't search Oikawa's place right away, giving Kuroo time to warn him.

Things are getting complicated.

His routine reverts back to the way it used to be, before Kenma came into his life. Kuroo works in the shop just as he's always done, running errands for Akimoto, doing inventory, greeting and checking out customers, etc. But Kuroo goes to bed at night, alone, and his bed feels colder; his arms ache to hold something, someone. He ends up hugging a pillow in his sleep, but it's a poor substitute for the warm softness of Kenma.

 **Nerdlord**  
_[Image sent]_ (09:45)  
_okay, i admit it. he's pretty cute._ (9:45)  
_i had to go to class. i put up a ward so he can't get out but i didnt know what food to put out for him???_ (10:34)  
_does he even eat or drink anything???_ (10:35)  
_iwachans gonna check in on him later so dont worry!!!_ (10:35)

 **Bara Arms**  
_Hey. Kenma's fine. He's still upset that you left, but he understands why you did it. He wants to see you soon though. He keeps looking at the door._ (13:45)

Kuroo finds himself constantly checking his phone for updates from Oikawa and Iwaizumi. He's glad he can count on Oikawa for photos, and Iwaizumi for direct translations of whatever Kenma has to say. These messages help him get through the day, and he's never been more thankful for modern technology than he is when, on Wednesday, Oikawa sets up a video chat with Kenma for him.

When Kenma appears on his laptop screen, Kuroo's chest squeezes tightly around his heart, and he has to resist the urge to reach out and touch the screen, knowing it won't help. Kenma's peering down into the camera quizzically. He reaches up and taps at Oikawa's laptop with his finger, before turning his head and chattering something to someone in the background in his own language.

Kuroo hears Iwaizumi's reply, though he can't see him. "He's not trapped inside it, don't worry. He's at home. If you look behind him you can see his room."

Kenma peers back at the laptop, frowning slightly. It's adorable, and Kuroo wishes he could kiss that wrinkle between his eyebrows.

"Hey," he says quietly, lifting his hand to wave.

Kenma strokes the screen lightly, not saying anything, but his eyes tell Kuroo all he needs to know about how he's feeling.

"I know," he says quietly. "This sucks. I miss you too. So much. I'm pretty busy at the shop, but once the weekend comes I'm going to ask off so I can come see you, okay? I promise."

He manages a small smile. "Are you behaving for Oikawa and Iwaizumi?"

Kenma scrunches his nose, looking away. "Not you," he says petulantly.

"I know," Kuroo says, and he can't help but feel gratified even though he knows it'd be best if Kenma actually got along with his new roommate and his roommate's boyfriend. "But you have to listen to them, okay? They're trying to protect you."

"Don't worry, Tetsu-chan!" Oikawa says, appearing suddenly in the frame. He drapes his arm across Kenma's shoulders. "We've got things under control here. He's only scratched up part of the carpet and a few pillows, but I know you'll replace them for me before my parents get home." He smiles, that wide fake smile that says, _fuck you_.

Kuroo can't help but laugh. "You have magic don't you? Fix it yourself."

"It's the _principle_ of the thing, Tetsurou," Oikawa huffs.

Kenma makes a face, shoving Oikawa's arm off his shoulders. He says something in his native language then, and Iwaizumi barks out a laugh.

"What did he say?" Oikawa asks, looking off to the side.

"He said he likes me better than you."

Kuroo can hear the smirk in Iwaizumi's voice, and he can't help but laugh as Oikawa squawks, offended.

"But we've been bonding!" Oikawa says. "Look, Kuroo, I even got him new clothes!" He gestures to Kenma's outfit, which Kuroo now realizes consists of well-fitted jeans and a slim black t-shirt with a skull on the front, beneath a red hoodie.

He looks _good_ , and Kuroo can feel his heart beating faster at the sight.

Kenma huffs at the attention, ducking his head and crossing his arms over his chest, looking away. It's endearing, and Kuroo finds himself smiling.

"You do look good," he says, tenderness slipping into his tone.

Kenma peeks at him from behind his hair, his skin growing a light purple color that Kuroo realizes is a blush. _He's blushing._

"I'm surprised you didn't put him in corduroys and sweater-vests," Kuroo says with a smirk. "Seeing as you always dress like a grandpa."

"Excuse you, my taste in attire is classic and attractive," Oikawa says, turning his nose up. "But no, Kenma didn't really seem to fit 'classy,' so I went more for 'edgy,' with his outfit. The skull is for irony."

"You need to stop watching Project Runway," Iwaizumi says.

Kenma sighs, glancing between the two there with that expression he gets when he's starting to get irritated. Oikawa must be used to this look, because he catches on immediately, moving to stand.

"We'll let you two catch up," he says, stretching his arms over his head. "Iwa-chan, come have tea with me."

Kenma takes the laptop, pulling it into his lap. Kuroo's breath hitches, as he leans closer, glancing behind him briefly before sticking out his tongue and licking the screen. Kuroo grins, giving in then and reaching out to touch Kenma's face, resenting the cool, smoothness beneath his fingertips.

"Hang in there, okay? This isn't going to be forever. Oikawa and Iwaizumi are good people. They won't let anything happen to you. And I'll be there on Friday, okay? I have to pick up my exam results in the city, and I'll tell my boss I'm visiting a friend for the night."

Kenma points to himself. "Friend?" he asks, tilting his head to the side.

"More than friend," Kuroo corrects, biting his lip. "Special."

Kenma's eyes widen, recognizing the word. He smiles then, the sharp points of his teeth just visible between his lips. Kuroo can't remember if he's ever seen Kenma smile, and his heart swells, pressing almost painfully against his ribcage.

"Special," he repeats, stroking his chest.

Kuroo glances at the clock, grimacing. "It's getting late, I have to go."

Kenma's smile disappears. He shakes his head. "No."

"It's only two more days until Friday night," Kuroo says, gripping his laptop in both hands. "Not that long. Try to be patient, okay?"

Kenma frowns, but he nods. Feeling stupid yet not caring, Kuroo leans forward and kisses the screen, right between Kenma's furrowed eyebrows. Kenma sighs audibly, staring at Kuroo with such a mournful expression, that Kuroo has to look away first for once.

"Sleep well," he says, swallowing down the next words that threaten to slip out. He doesn't want to say those over a video call. He needs to say it in person, holding Kenma close against his chest.

It takes an incredible amount of effort to close his laptop, and his ears ring slightly in the sudden silence that follows.

Friday can't come soon enough.

 

 

***

 

 

Thursday seems to take three years to pass, but finally Friday arrives. Kuroo takes off in the afternoon to head downtown to receive his exam scores (seeing as the council members are old fashioned and don't like sending things through email like normal people). Yaku calls after him, "Good luck!" and Kuroo can't help but feel like he's going to need it.

The train is only moderately crowded when he gets on, and he's able to find a seat next to a window. Slipping on his ear buds, he starts up his Spotify, only to be interrupted three minutes later by Oikawa's ringtone in his ear.

"Yo, what's up?" he answers.

"Kuroo," Oikawa hisses. "You are not going to believe what I just saw. I don't even believe what I just saw. Even though it's like, permanently seared into my brain. I can't even think straight right now." He's speaking quickly, still whispering like he's trying not to be overheard by someone.

Kuroo raises an eyebrow. "Oikawa, what the hell are you talking about?"

"It's Kenma," Oikawa says.

Instantly, Kuroo tenses. "Is he okay?"

"What? Shush. Of course. He's with me, isn't he? He's fine. He's better than fine, apparently. He's . . . hoo boy."

"Would you please just tell me what the fuck is going on?" Kuroo asks, not sure if he should be irritated or amused.

"Okay, okay, geez. So I gave Kenma my sister's old room, right? 'Cause he finally stopped sleeping under the kotatsu. Anyway, I went to check on him since he'd been in there by himself for a while and he—"

Kuroo huffs. "He . . . ?"

"He had his tail up his ass," Oikawa says, choking on the words.

Kuroo's brain grinds to a halt. "What?"

"He was fucking himself with his own tail!" Oikawa says, sounding scandalized. "I've never seen anything like it before. Not even in alien movies."

"Don't tell me you watch alien porn."

"Tetsurou! That's not the issue here!"

Kuroo finds himself picturing Kenma as Oikawa described him, and blood rushes up his neck and face. He coughs lightly, shifting away from those on the train to stare out the window. "Did he . . . was he saying anything?"

"Are you asking me if he was moaning your name while he fucked himself? I don't know, Kuroo, I slammed the door shut as quickly as I could. I'm scarred for life!"

"Grow up," Kuroo says, rolling his eyes. He pauses then chewing on his lip. "I didn't . . . I didn't think he knew about that sort of stuff. He didn't even know what kissing was."

"I told Iwa-chan about it first," Oikawa says. "He said Kenma's rank of demon is often used for pleasure by the Greater Demon they serve. It's consensual, apparently. It's part of their job, making their master feel good or whatever. Consider it an honor or something, like letting the Emperor fuck you, I don't know. I don't exactly go looking for information on demon sex habits."

"I . . ." Kuroo trails off, not entirely sure what to do with this information. On the one hand this opens up possibilities he never considered before. On the other hand . . . he frowns, highly doubting any Greater Demon would take into consideration the health and happiness of the underlings he used like this. Whether Kenma was willing to serve or not, it's unlikely he knows how it feels to be loved in that way.

"Kuroo, I know what you're thinking, and I'm telling you it's a bad idea."

"I know, I know, don't fuck the demon."

"It's not even really that anymore. I mean, I don't think he's going to eat your heart or anything. But I know you. If you do something like that, your feelings are just going to get stronger, and then sending him back is going to be even harder on you."

Kuroo bites his lip. "I think . . . it's already too late for that," he admits softly.

Oikawa's quiet for a moment before sighing. "You always open your heart way too easily, you know."

"I know."

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I don't think I can send him back, Oikawa." Kuroo leans his forehead against the windowpane, watching the buildings grow denser, as the train enters downtown. "I don't want to let him go."

"He can't stay here, Tetsurou," Oikawa says, more gently than Kuroo's ever heard him speak. It makes his chest ache more. "You know what'll happen to him if he's ever discovered. A life living in fear and in hiding . . . is that really a life at all?"

"Since when did you become philosophical?" Kuroo asks with a snort.

"You know I'm right."

Kuroo sighs, tilting slightly as the train comes to a stop. "I have to go. I'm downtown."

"Okay. Oh, and Tetsu-chan~" Oikawa's voice lilts back into its normal tone.

"Yeah?" Kuroo asks warily, as he stands and grabs his overnight bag.

"He _was_ moaning your name."

Oikawa hangs up then, and his laughter taunts Kuroo as he misses the step off the train and nearly falls face-first on the concrete.

 

 

 

 

Standing in front of the large wooden double doors that lead into the office where he'll be told his fate, Kuroo feels suddenly nauseous. The girl standing beside him inhales sharply and exhales slowly, drawing his attention. He recognizes her as the one who held his place in line last Saturday.

"It'll be fine," he tells her with a crooked grin.

The girl gives him a skeptical look. "How can you be so confident? Aren't you nervous?"

"Of course I am," Kuroo says, shrugging and turning back to the door. "But, you know, numbers don't define us. They don't tell us who we are. The council doesn't always know what's best, and if they flunk us . . . well, it'd be their loss, wouldn't it?" He gives her another grin. "Besides, we can always take it again next year."

The girl nods. "Right," she says, and Kuroo feels his chest lighten at the new determination he sees in her eyes.

The doors open, and a small, bespectacled man pokes his head out. "Ryuugazaki Mikasa?"

"That's me." The girl gives Kuroo a slight wave, as she follows the man inside.

Kuroo gives her two thumbs up and a wide grin, but as the doors close, he finds himself deflating once more. As much as he believes the words he told her, he can't help but dread the thought of needing to wait another year before he could get his license. That means another year stuck at the shop, another year being insignificant. Oikawa's going to pass, he knows he will, and that means Kuroo will be left behind, as his friend advances.

He'll be alone again.

"Kuroo-san! Kuroo-san!"

Kuroo looks up, turning slightly to see Yuuki running toward him, waving a slip of paper over his head. He comes to a stop right in front of him, flushed and beaming, and shoves the piece of paper in Kuroo's face.

"I did it! Look! I got my training permit!"

Kuroo takes the paper from him, looking down at the temporary ID that marks Yuuki as able to use magic on his own, without adult supervision, to practice and train toward his witch's license. He still can't go on missions, but it's the first step to becoming a recognized witch in the coven.

"This is awesome, Yuuki," he says, giving the young man a grin. "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" Yuuki says, taking the paper back and grinning down at it. He folds it carefully, slipping it into his pocket then, before looking up at Kuroo. "Have you gotten your results yet?"

Kuroo shakes his head, jerking a thumb at the doors next to them. "Not yet. Still waiting to go in."

"I'm sure you passed," Yuuki says. "You're super cool."

Kuroo laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I don't know how 'cool' one needs to be in order to get their license, but I appreciate it."

Yuuki grins, tilting his head then as a voice calls from behind them.

"Shibayama-kun! Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there!" Yuuki calls back.

Kuroo turns to look at who shouted. It's another boy, short, with dark hair and eyes, standing at the end of the hall. He doesn't recognize him from Yuuki's Facebook pictures.

"Who's that?" Kuroo asks, looking back down at Yuuki.

Surprisingly, Yuuki blushes. "Um, I met him last week during the test. His name is Sakunami. He's in my year."

"He's cute," Kuroo offers, just to see Yuuki's blush darken.

"I-I-I mean, I guess . . ."

Kuroo laughs again, reaching out to ruffle Yuuki's hair gently. "Go, have fun. Celebrate your first step into witch-hood."

Yuuki beams, bowing slightly before scurrying off to meet his new friend. As he goes, Kuroo realizes he feels nothing but pride and happiness for Yuuki. The ache that used to throb in his chest at the thought of the boy is gone. Getting out his phone, Kuroo opens his Spotify. He finds Yuuki's playlist and deletes it with a quiet sigh.

 _It was fun, while it lasted._ He may wish things had ended differently, but he doesn't regret it.

"Kuroo Tetsurou?"

The man with the glasses is back. The girl from before slips past him, looking pleased. She gives Kuroo a quiet, "good luck," and he nods back, grateful for the sentiment. Squaring his shoulders, he follows the man into the room.

 

 

 

 

 

"Well?!" Oikawa sits in front of him, eyes nearly bugging out of his head as he stares at Kuroo.

Kuroo smirks from his place at the kotatsu table, shifting as best he can with Kenma in his lap to pull a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He slides it across the table to Oikawa, returning his arms around Kenma, setting his chin on Kenma's shoulder, as he watches Oikawa unfold the paper.

A grin breaks out across his face, and he leaps across the table to knock both Kenma and Kuroo over in a hug. "You did it!"

Kenma yips softly in protest, scrambling out from underneath Oikawa, though Kuroo's still pinned. He laughs, grabbing Oikawa around the waist to squeeze him tightly.

"I didn't do so hot on the physical exam, so I'm under probation until I get more experience using spells, but you're looking at a fully licensed witch."

He laughs, as Oikawa sits back on Kuroo's stomach, punching him lightly in the chest.

"All that worrying for nothing. You should have more confidence in yourself, Tetsu-chan~"

Kuroo grins up at Oikawa, his heart feeling full and happy for the first time in a long time. "I guess it's a good thing I have you to remind me."

Oikawa raises an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that praise I hear? Are you saying Oikawa Tooru is the bestest best friend you've ever had in your entire life?"

"I'm pretty sure none of those words came out of my mouth."

"It was implied."

Kenma shoves Oikawa over, frowning at him as he takes his place on top of Kuroo. Oikawa laughs from his place on the floor.

"Looks like someone got jealous," he says, giving Kuroo a look that Kuroo ignores because he doesn't want to address what _that_ is implying.

Instead, he places his hand on Kenma's back, as he nuzzles his face into Kuroo's chest. It feels so good to hold him again, to touch him. It's only been six days, but as soon as he arrived at Oikawa's and saw Kenma and felt him leap into his arms, he felt as though he'd come home after years away.

"Should I give you two some privacy?" Oikawa smirks.

Before he can think of a snarky reply, a knock sounds at the door. Oikawa frowns slightly in confusion, before he stands and hops to the door. He opens it a crack before smiling and flinging it open.

"Iwa-chan!"

Kuroo carefully moves Kenma off him so he can sit up, waving slightly as Iwaizumi steps into the house.

"Now all my favorite people are here!" Oikawa says happily.

"Is everything okay?" Kuroo asks, noticing the way Iwaizumi's shoulders are bowing inwardly just slightly.

Oikawa's grin slips, as he studies Iwaizumi more closely. Iwaizumi turns away from him, however, facing Kuroo with a nod.

"Yeah, I just thought I'd drop by . . . if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay, Iwa-chan! Don't be silly," Oikawa says, draping himself on Iwaizumi's back, arms crossing over his chest. "Do you want to go somewhere or just hang out here?"

Iwaizumi sighs, reaching up to hold Oikawa's arm lightly. "Just stay here."

"Movie night!" Oikawa says, giving Iwaizumi a squeeze before letting him go. "I'll make the hot chocolate!"

As he heads off into the kitchen, Iwaizumi joins Kuroo and Kenma at the kotatsu. Kuroo reaches over to clasp his shoulder gently.

"If you're in trouble, you can tell us," Kuroo tells him softly.

Iwaizumi gives him a faint smile. "Oikawa doesn't need to worry any more than he already does."

Kuroo frowns, thinking that just makes _him_ worry more, but he bites his tongue to keep from pushing, knowing Iwaizumi can become an immovable object if pressed hard enough. _They're both stubborn assholes._

Kenma crawls back into his lap, reaching out to touch Iwaizumi's forehead, where the markings of _Traitor_ still linger in his skin.

"It'll be gone soon enough," Iwaizumi assures him.

Kenma frowns, apparently displeased with this answer. Oikawa comes back with a tray of hot chocolate and milk bread. He sets it down on the table, settling down next to Iwaizumi, who looks at the tray with surprise.

"You're sharing your milk bread?"

"It's a special occasion!" Oikawa exclaims. "Kuroo passed his license exam!"

"Oh, congratulations," Iwaizumi says, nodding to him.

"And I share my milk bread sometimes!" Oikawa cuts in, as Kuroo thanks him.

"You once threatened to bite my arm off if I so much _touched_ it."

"I'm feeling generous today," Oikawa huffs, pulling the tray closer to him. "But I won't share if you're going to be mean about it." He sticks out his tongue.

Kuroo shakes his head, reaching for the remote. "So are we watching something or?"

Iwaizumi takes the remote and turns on the TV, flipping to a channel playing old monster movies. Kenma sits forward, eyes fixed on the screen. Kuroo can't help but wonder if watching a violent movie might trigger something in Kenma, and he holds him closer reflexively. Kenma turns his head to look at Kuroo curiously.

"The monster is the bad guy in this," he says. "It hurts people, so the good guys have to kill it."

Kenma bites his lip, lifting a hand to his chest. "Monster," he says softly.

Kuroo shakes his head. "No," he says firmly, laying his hand over Kenma's. "Kenma."

Iwaizumi glances over. "Should I change the channel?" he asks, brows furrowed slightly.

Knowing Iwaizumi and Oikawa like their monster/disaster movies, Kuroo shakes his head, but he does stand and take Kenma's hand, pulling him toward the spare bedroom.

"We'll be right back," he tells the other two, gently guiding Kenma into the room and shutting the door. He inhales deeply, before turning to look down at Kenma, who's staring at the floor, fingers twitching around the cuffs of the hoodie he's wearing.

Running his fingers through his hair, Kuroo tries to think of a way to explain things to Kenma. He walks over to the bed, sitting on the edge and holding his hand out. Kenma steps forward slowly, taking his hand and allowing Kuroo to draw him closer.

"I'm . . . sure you're already aware of the relationship between demons and humans," Kuroo says. "We're told growing up that demons and monsters are real and dangerous and that they're out to hurt us, that we can't trust them, and that they deserve to die. And, to be honest, I've only ever heard of demons and monsters hurting people. Killing them and stuff. So our covens work to protect people, guard them and heal them and fight for them to keep them safe from . . . from your kind."

Kenma watches him silently, his expression revealing nothing. Kuroo swallows hard against the lump in his throat.

"That's why I need you to stay hidden. If people knew what you were, they'd attack you without even getting to know you." Reaching up, Kuroo brushes some of Kenma's hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear. He strokes the curve of it lightly with his thumb, watching it instead of Kenma's face.

"I'm trying to figure out a way for us to be together without having to hide. I don't want to make you stay indoors all the time, never being able to do anything or go anywhere or feel free to be yourself. I don't think you want to hurt anyone; but if I tell that to coven, I don't think they'll believe me. So I'm stuck. I don't know what to do."

Kuroo moves his gaze back to Kenma's face. His expression has changed, his brows coming together slightly. Kuroo gives him a sad smile. "But no matter what happens, you're not a monster, okay? I don't think you're even really a demon anymore. You're just . . . Kenma. I don't know how or why you changed, but you did. You're not the same being that I summoned in the shop that day. You're . . . something different now. Something special." He sighs, dropping his hand from Kenma's ear.

"I wish I could show everyone that."

Kenma catches his hand before it can fall away. He brings it to his face, pressing Kuroo's palm against his cheek. He leans his nose into it then, smelling his skin with a deep inhale. Kuroo's heart flips in his chest before picking up speed. He brings his other arm up, wrapping it around Kenma's waist and pulling him close between his knees. Leaning forward, he rests his forehead against Kenma's, closing his eyes and just enjoying the closeness of him.

He feels the soft brush of lips against his, and seeks them out with his own. Kenma latches on immediately, slotting their mouths together and giving Kuroo's lower lip a few small sucks. Kuroo moans softly, not having realized just how much he missed Kenma's kisses until now. He thought about them often, he can't deny it. At night, when he lay alone in bed, he frequently remembered that moment when he let his walls collapse, and he accepted his feelings for Kenma.

But remembering something and experiencing it are two completely separate things, and Kuroo pulls Kenma into his lap, as he responds hungrily to Kenma's movements, nudging his tongue against Kenma's upper lip until he opens for him. The slight tingle from Kenma's saliva travels over his tongue and into his jaw, but he doesn't stop. Kenma straddles his lap, fingers gripping Kuroo's shirt, as he moves his tongue as best he can against Kuroo's.

Kuroo's hands press against Kenma's back, holding him as close as he can to his chest. Slowly, he allows one hand to slip further down, sliding over the curve of Kenma's ass until he's cupping it. He presses gently, and Kenma's hips rock forward against him. He stifles another moan against Kenma's mouth, and then another as Kenma shifts forward again on his own.

Pulling away to breathe, Kuroo buries his face into Kenma's neck, gasping softly. His skin is warm, a soft purple hue coloring it. Kenma's fingers move into his hair, gripping lightly, and Kuroo feels a now familiar tingle against his ear, as Kenma runs his tongue over it. He shudders, his heart pounding erratically against his ribcage.

He tightens his grip on Kenma, aching to get closer. He presses his lips to Kenma's neck, planting tiny kisses along the line of it, until he reaches just beneath his ear. He takes the soft skin between his teeth, biting gently before sucking on the spot. Kenma mewls softly, that strange purr vibrating through him.

"Kenma," Kuroo moans against his neck, desire aching through him. He slides his hand up the back of Kenma's shirt, running his fingers along Kenma's spine. His pants are growing increasingly tight, and as Kenma rocks forward at his touch, Kuroo muffles a small cry in Kenma's skin. "F-Fuck."

Kenma pauses, leaning back to look at him. He glances down between his legs to the bulge straining against Kuroo's pants. Before Kuroo has a chance to get embarrassed, though, Kenma's sliding off his lap and peeling off his hoodie. Instantly, Kuroo's heart lodges in his throat, and he coughs awkwardly.

"We-we don't have to . . ." he trails off, as Kenma removes the rest of his clothing.

Leaving them in a heap on the floor, Kenma crawls up onto the bed beside Kuroo. He turns, laying his forearms against the pillows, as he lifts his ass into the air, facing Kuroo.

Kuroo's mouth feels dry, as he finds himself staring. Kenma glances back at him, face partially hidden behind his hair. His pupils are dilated, cheeks flushed lavender. Kuroo's erection throbs painfully in its confines, but even as he stands and tugs off his shirt, he can't help but remember what Oikawa told him about Greater Demons fucking their underlings.

_Is that what Kenma thinks this is? Does he realize the difference?_

He unfastens his pants, allowing some relief, but before he takes them off, he turns to kneel behind Kenma, reaching out to take his hips and pull them down onto the bed, rolling Kenma onto his back. Kenma looks up at him, expression growing quizzical.

"If you want to do this, we will," Kuroo says quietly, reaching up to brush the back of his knuckles against Kenma's cheek. "But it's not going to be like how you've done it in the past. It'll be different between us. It means something different." He runs his hand down Kenma's chest slowly, watching the rise and fall of it as Kenma stares up at him. Bringing his gaze back up, he meets Kenma's eyes and gives him a small, crooked smile.

"What do I mean to you?"

Kenma blinks up at him. "Special," he replies softly.

Kuroo's smile widens. He leans down and kisses Kenma, slow and deep, feeling the shiver run through him beneath his hand. He shifts his hand further down, sliding it across Kenma's abdomen to between his legs. It's still smooth there, nothing to grab or stroke, so he keeps going, allowing his fingers to prod gently, looking for an opening. He continues to kiss Kenma, who arches into his touch, hands moving back into his hair.

He finds Kenma's entrance, and slowly rubs his finger against it. Kenma shudders and Kuroo feels something wet and slippery like slime coat his index finger. He draws back, removing his hand and staring at it somewhat dumbly. There's a grayish liquid dripping off his finger, and his face burns as he realizes what it is.

"You . . . can self-lubricate?" he asks, nearly choking on the words. _It makes sense,_ his brain supplies, even as he stares wide-eyed down at Kenma. _Do you really think they have lube in Hinokoku?_

Kenma whines, and suddenly there's a tail coiling around Kuroo's arm, guiding his hand back to the place it was before. Kuroo swallows hard, hesitating briefly before very carefully sinking two fingers into Kenma. Kenma's body tenses, but he doesn't seem to be in pain. In fact, his lips part, face flushed, as his eyes fall closed and he emits a quiet whimper of pleasure.

"H-holy shit," Kuroo gasps, pretty sure he's more turned on than he's ever been in his entire life. His fingers slip in easily, and while the liquid doesn't burn it does tingle like the saliva, and Kuroo can feel his own heartbeat thudding rapidly throughout his entire body. He starts thrusting his hand gently, not sure if there's any particular spot he needs to concentrate on or not. Kenma's tail flexes around his arm, gripping it tightly and holding it in place.

For some reason that just makes his erection throb more.

 _I have issues,_ he thinks, but he brushes that thought aside for now. Instead, he moves to pull his fingers out, wanting to get rid of the rest of his clothes, but Kenma holds him fast.

"K-Kenma," he says, his voice shaking with his body. "I-I need . . . my-my clothes . . ."

Kenma opens his eyes, looking down the length of his body at Kuroo, his expression hazy. He blinks once, and the look clears briefly. He releases Kuroo's arm, and Kuroo pulls out, fumbling in his haste to remove the rest of his clothes. Kenma's tail flips lazily in the air, stroking against Kuroo's arm and side, creating goosebumps that travel over his entire torso.

"I-I should warn you that I've only done this once and it was a while ago," Kuroo says, moving to kneel in front of Kenma, sans clothes. "I don't know if that'll make a difference or not . . ."

Kenma looks up at him, his expression softer than any Kuroo's ever seen on his face before. His tail moves gently along Kuroo's spine, pressing in against his shoulder blades until Kuroo leans forward over Kenma, bracing his hands on either side of his shoulders. Reaching up with his hand, Kenma traces his fingers lightly over Kuroo's forehead, pushing back the hair that usually lies across his eye.

"Tetsurou," Kenma murmurs, and with that single word, Kuroo feels most of his anxiety slip away.

 _He trusts me,_ Kuroo realizes, inhaling shakily. He bends to place a small kiss on the tip of Kenma's nose. "I love you," he allows himself to say, though his heart pounds erratically in his ears. _Does he even know what love is?_

Kenma leans up, kissing him deeply. Kuroo responds instantly, melting into the kiss and pushing away all his thoughts. It's just him and Kenma right now; he doesn't need to worry about anything else.

Kenma pulls back, wrapping his tail around Kuroo's waist to push him back onto his knees. He spreads his legs then, open and inviting, and Kuroo feels the rush of desire flood back through him. He takes Kenma's hips, tugging him closer. Reaching for a pillow, he places it beneath Kenma's hips. Glancing at the tail still wrapped around his waist, he has a sudden thought and looks up to catch Kenma's gaze.

"Is it uncomfortable for you lying on your back when you have your tail out? Is it better the other way?"

Kenma blinks at him, but doesn't respond. Taking that to mean he doesn't mind, Kuroo takes another deep breath and grabs hold of his member. The relief of finally being touched after being ignored for so long rushes through him with the pleasure, and he has to stifle a small cry. Pre-cum gushes from his tip, spilling over his hand, as he trembles. Through the haze of pleasure, he suddenly remembers he doesn't have a condom. Grimacing, he releases his aching cock, looking around the room. There's a set of dresser drawers near the desk, and he carefully unwinds Kenma's tail from his waist.

Kenma frowns, sitting up on his elbows, as he tries to keep his hold on Kuroo.

"I'll be right back, I promise," he gasps, stumbling off the bed and hurrying to the dresser. He yanks open the top drawer, rifling through the clothes there. Oikawa's sister is older than him and is married with a kid, so there _has_ to be . . . oh. There's one. He grabs it quickly, tearing into it, even as he hastens back over to the bed.

Kenma's still frowning, and he tilts his head quizzically, as Kuroo rolls on the condom. "It's for-for protection," he tries to explain, his heart pounding in his ears. "Against disease and . . . and stuff."

Kenma rolls his eyes, and Kuroo wonders if that means humans and demons can't cross-contaminate, but before he can continue that line of thought, Kenma's tail has grabbed him around the waist again, and he pulls him close between his legs. Kuroo trembles, nodding with his stomach flipping, his skin quivering, as he takes hold of himself once more and lines himself up with Kenma's entrance.

He thrusts forward slowly, a low groan vibrating through him as he buries deep inside of Kenma. It's warm and tight, so tight, and Kenma's arching his hips into Kuroo's, his tail tightening around him, as his toes and fingers curl into the sheets beneath him. Kuroo gasps for breath, as he settles inside, holding still and trembling. Kenma whines, rocking his hips slightly, and Kuroo has to grab them to make him stop.

"D-Don't," he chokes.

The pleasure is pulsating through him, and he isn't sure how long he's going to last. Kenma opens his eyes, looking up at him with desire and affection written all over his features.

"Tetsurou," he moans, drawing the name out until it tapers off with a whimper.

Kuroo struggles to breathe, sliding out half-way before thrusting forward in a slow, smooth motion. " _Fuck_ , Kenma," he gasps, grimacing as tingles of heat and pleasure spark along his veins. He repeats the motion, moving his hips at a careful, steady pace, his thighs shaking.

Kenma squirms, his tail tugging at Kuroo, as his hands move to lie atop of Kuroo's on his hips. "Tetsurou," he says again, voice low, almost sultry, and Kuroo nearly comes right then.

He quickens his pace, biting his lip hard to stifle his moans, as they threaten to grow louder. Kenma doesn't seem to have any such reservations, as his mewls and moans become more desperate. Kuroo reaches up quickly to clasp his hand over Kenma's mouth, glancing toward the door.

"Shh, shh," he says shakily.

Kenma stares back at him, eyes wide, and Kuroo pulls his hand away so he can see Kenma's full expression. He doesn't get a long look, however, before Kenma's grabbing his arm and yanking him down to kiss him again. This time it's messy, hungry. Kuroo nearly chokes on Kenma's tongue as it snakes deep into his mouth. His thrusts become frantic, his thighs slapping against Kenma's, as he draws closer to the edge.

Closing his eyes, he sets his forehead against Kenma's, gasping, trembling, as his hips stutter, and he comes hard, biting his lip to stifle the cry that rips through his throat. He doesn't notice Kenma growing warmer beneath him, sparks of red dancing along his skin, until he opens his eyes and sees Kenma's head fall back, as his body spasms and glows with a red aura, as he gasps. It disappears after a moment, and Kenma moans, as he collapses against the mattress, breathing heavily.

Kuroo catches himself staring, wide-eyed, as he struggles to breathe.

"Did you . . . did you just get off on my orgasm?" he asks incredulously. "Is-is that how it works?"

Kenma doesn't answer. He sighs lustily, wrapping his arms around Kuroo's neck and nuzzling his face against the side of his.

"Different," he murmurs. "Special."

Kuroo decides his questions are better put later, and pulls out gently. He removes and ties off the condom, dropping it into the bedside wastebasket, before encircling Kenma in his arms and pulling him close against his chest, as he flops over onto his side.

Kenma snuggles in close against his chest, apparently not minding the sweat. As for himself, his skin is still dry, though warmer than usual. Kuroo reaches up, stroking his fingers through Kenma's hair gently. Kenma's tail dances briefly in the air before disappearing into the small of his back.

Kuroo hasn't forgotten about Oikawa and Iwaizumi, but he can't bring himself to move. It doesn't seem like Kenma wants to either, so he lets himself relax and bask in the afterglow.

Before he realizes it, he's drifted off to sleep.

 

 

 

 

He wakes to the sound of loud knocking at the front door.

"Oikawa Tooru! We're looking for Iwaizumi Hajime. We have a warrant to search the premises!"

It takes a moment for Kuroo to process what's happening, and it's only when he hears a loud _CRASH_ that he jolts awake. Kenma's already crouching on the bed in front of him, snarling at the closed bedroom door. Fear grips Kuroo's chest, and he sits up quickly, reaching out to grab Kenma's arm.

"Go," he hisses. "I'll take down the barriers. If they find you here, they'll kill you!"

Kenma turns his head to frown at him. "Iwa-chan," he says, pointing to the door. The sound of footsteps pounding quickly through the house shakes the walls, and Kuroo feels desperation rising within him swiftly.

"Oikawa and I can take care of them, you need to leave! _Now!_ "

But Kenma shakes his head, hopping off the bed. His tail, horns, wings, and claws grow out of his skin, as he approaches the door, and he seems to get bigger as well. Kuroo scrambles off the bed, tripping over sheets that get tangled between his legs. He manages to yank on his boxers before stumbling forward, reaching for Kenma, just as the door swings open. It nearly smacks Kenma in the face, and he reels back, momentarily disoriented.

Two men in suits stand in the doorway, both of them wearing badges with Iwaizumi's coven's logo, a white rose surrounded by thorny vines. The House of the White Rose. The most orthodox, dictatorial coven in Tokyo. Anger fills Kuroo at the mere sight of that rose, knowing what it represents.

The men stare in shock at Kenma, who rises into the air with a loud screech. They look from Kenma to Kuroo mostly naked behind him, and the realization hits them as horror fills their expressions.

"DEMON! WE HAVE A DEMON!" one of them shouts, as Kenma attacks.

"No!" Kuroo shouts, leaping forward. He grabs Kenma's tail, but finds himself getting dragged forward, as Kenma lands on one of the men. He throws up his arms to shield his face, as Kenma's teeth snap at him, his claws sinking deep into his chest. He screams, and his partner shouts a spell, knocking Kenma off the man and down the hall. Kuroo gets flung with him, and though he lands hard on his side, he quickly turns to Kenma and grabs his arms.

"Kenma, look at me. Look at me! You can't attack these men! Do you understand? They will _kill_ you!"

"Step aside, boy," the second man says, stepping over his bleeding partner to approach the two.

Kuroo looks up, heart in his throat, as five more men file into the hallway. They flank the man in front of him, blocking the exit. Kuroo stands slowly, holding his hand out in front of Kenma, hoping he'll stay down.

"Y-you don't have to kill him," he says, hating how frightened and vulnerable he sounds. He clears his throat, trying again. "He isn't dangerous."

"Tell that to Hashimoto," the man says, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to where his partner is slowly getting off the ground, wincing at the pain in his chest.

"You burst in here like a bunch of attack dogs," Kuroo says, forcing confidence into his voice. He can hear Kenma hissing softly behind him, and he wonders where Oikawa and Iwaizumi are. Did they leave last night? Were they already caught?

_No, they wouldn't go down without a fight. I would've heard them._

"You just scared him. He's not going to fight you. Right, Kenma?" He looks down at Kenma, eyes pleading.

Kenma shuts his mouth, frowning in displeasure, but he stops hissing.

"You gave that thing a _name_?" Hashimoto asks with a scowl, adjusting his stained suit jacket.

"Considering he's taken it to bed, that doesn't surprise me," the man in front of Kuroo says, appraising him with narrowed eyes. The men behind him murmur at this, varying levels of horror and disgust crossing their features, as they take in Kuroo and Kenma.

"What coven do you belong to?"

Kuroo purses his lips.

"Don't make me do this the hard way."

Looking down at Kenma, Kuroo feels all the hope he had for a future together condense into a sickening ball of dread. Kenma looks back at him, and he knows he wants Kuroo to let him fight, to take out these men and escape with Kuroo to some place far away.

But that would only paint Kenma as the monster everyone fears he is. Kuroo can't let that happen. He has to convince them somehow that Kenma is different. That he deserves life.

So instead of fighting, he gives up, putting his hands into the air and answering resignedly.

"The House of the Eastern Star."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


	6. home is just a room full of my safest sounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween!
> 
> thank you so much everyone for all your kudos, lovely comments, your asks and messages, and your overall enthusiasm for this piece. I was rather anxious about this story, and I'm so so happy to see that so many of you have enjoyed it! I'm truly blessed. <3
> 
> and now . . . the final chapter!

It's almost funny to think that just yesterday Kuroo stood in front of the coven council to receive his official witch's license. Now he faces a very different type of council. There's no pride on their faces as they look at him and at Kenma, trapped in a cage beside him. The bars are enchanted, keeping him from using any magic, which means he looks as he did when Kuroo first summoned him: frightened and vulnerable. He crouches on his hands and feet, lips curled back over his sharp teeth, as he snarls low under his breath.

The council in front of them observes Kuroo with a mixture of disappointment and confusion. Kuroo isn't sure if that's worse than the disgust from Iwaizumi's coven or not. Hashimoto and his partner (who has since introduced himself as Araki), stand behind him, probably still wearing those expressions from before.

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention," Nekomata, one of the council members says, folding his fingers together in front of him. They're all dressed in official kimonos, and his wide sleeves brush against the tabletop, as he sets his elbows on it. "Your presence is no longer necessary, however."

"We were searching for Iwaizumi Hajime when we found these two . . ." Araki says, gesturing to Kuroo and Kenma. "We're not leaving until they tell us where he is."

"I don't know where he is," Kuroo says, for what feels like the hundredth time.

"You see? He doesn't know where he is. You may go," Nekomata says, making a shooing motion with his hand.

"You're willing to take his word for it?" Araki hisses. "Knowing what he is? What he's done?"

"If anything comes up during our discussion, we'll contact you. In the meantime, this is a private session."

Araki doesn't look pleased, but he gestures for Hashimoto to follow him and together they leave the council chambers. Kuroo isn't sure if he feels any better for them having left or not. The disapproval of the council weighs heavily on him. Now that the men are gone, Kenma grows silent in his cage, watching everything with eyes wide with worry.

"This isn't necessary," Kuroo says, gesturing to the iron bars surrounding Kenma. "He's not going to hurt anyone."

"You may know that, but we do not," Nekomata says. "Now, it isn't uncommon for young witches to experiment, and this is hardly the first time we've dealt with a demon summoning. But it's rare for the witches to grow . . . attached to the demons they summon. Demon fetishes are a thing as well, unfortunately, but this doesn't appear to be a simple fetish. You seem to truly care about this demon."

"He's not dangerous," Kuroo says helplessly. "I don't know how else to explain it. He's different than what we've been told about demons. He might've been a danger at first but he never was to me. And besides that, he's changed. You don't have anything to worry about, with him."

Nekomata turns his head both ways to look down the long table at his fellow council members. Although the curtains on the large windows on either side of the room are drawn back, Kuroo can't help but feel as though a dark cloud is looming over him. He shifts on his feet in the silence, as the council members murmur under their breath to one another, trying not to scuff up the carpet. Glancing over at Kenma, Kuroo sees him looking back at him, biting down on his lower lip.

Kuroo wants to reassure him somehow, to tell him everything is going to be okay. But he knows he can't. He wishes he could at least reach out and take his hand. Instead, he curls his hands into fists, and watches Nekomata, as he turns back to face him.

"The fact that we know your reputation as an upstanding young man helps your case; unfortunately, we can't take what you say at face value. We don't know this creature, nor do we know what danger it may or may not still pose toward our community."

"I understand that, sir," Kuroo says quickly, knowing he's being rude by interrupting, but not able to care much at the moment. "But, please, don't kill him. Give him a chance to show you that he's not a threat."

"We've agreed to run some tests to determine whether or not it is a threat," Nekomata says. "But no matter what the conclusion, I'm afraid it cannot stay here. Either it's destroyed or we send it back to where it belongs."

Kuroo swallows hard. "Will you let me know what decision you come to before you do anything?"

Most of the council frowns at this question, but before anyone can dissent, Nekomata holds up his hand and nods. "Of course. Now, we have informed your master of your misconduct, as the law states we must—" Kuroo cringes at this "—but seeing as you are an adult, we've left the decision on whether or not to inform your parents up to you. Be advised, though, word travels quickly in this community. You may not want to wait too long to tell them."

"Yes, sir," Kuroo says, his heart sinking into his stomach. He knows he probably no longer has a job, and he has no idea what he's going to tell his parents when he inevitably is forced to move back in with them.

"As for your punishment . . . we should suspend your license, but seeing as you're on probation already, I don't see the need for that. However you will be forbidden to use magic for a period of three months following this hearing. Hopefully you will learn from this mistake and grow to be the witch we all believe you have the potential to be."

Kuroo nods absently, not truly worried about himself in this moment. He looks down at Kenma, his heart twisting in his gut. "Can I say goodbye?" he asks, looking back at the council.

A few curl their lips in disgust, showing their true colors if only for a brief moment, but Nekomata only studies him for a moment before nodding. "Make it quick," he says.

Kuroo kneels in front of the cage, reaching in to take Kenma's hand, holding it firmly. "Just . . . don't do anything that will scare them or make them think you're bad, okay?" he says quietly. "They'll let you go if you just . . . be human, just like you have been."

Kenma nods slowly, his eyes focused on Kuroo's. His expression is impassive as always, but his nails dig into the back of Kuroo's hand. Kuroo's chest aches. He wants to tear down these bars and pull Kenma out of the cage, to run away, as far as they can go. But he knows the council won't allow a demon to go free.

"Kuroo," Nekomata says, in a gentler tone than before. "It's time for you to go."

Kuroo rests his forehead against the cage, struggling to keep his breathing even. Kenma sets his forehead against the bars as well, whining softly. Kuroo squeezes his eyes shut, stiffening as he feels a hand come to rest on his shoulder.

"Kuroo," Nekomata says again, and his grip tightens. "We'll let you know what we decide before we do anything. You have my word."

Kuroo doesn't move, doesn't want to move, but Nekomata pulls him back, as other members of the council approach. Before Kuroo can say anything or do anything else, they collectively say a spell and Kenma and the cage disappear, leaving Kuroo grasping air.

"Wh-where did you send him?" he chokes, curling his hand into a fist.

"Just to another room to conduct our study," Nekomata says reassuringly.

Kuroo shakes off his hand, moving to stand. "Don't hurt him," he says flatly. "If you hurt him . . ."

Nekomata blinks back at him, knowing Kuroo's threat is weak. He sighs, reaching up to press his first three fingers against Kuroo's forehead. "Don't waste your potential," he says, before speaking a spell that hits Kuroo like a shock of electricity. His head tingles, and his limbs feel numb for a moment, as he stumbles back.

"I have placed a block on your access to your magic," Nekomata says, folding his hands into the wide sleeves of his kimono. "At the end of three months, you will be summoned before the council again for an evaluation. If we see you are repentant and have not broken any more laws, I will lift the block and you will be able to access your magic again. I suggest you use it more wisely in the future."

Kuroo bows slightly, even as the edges of his eyes burn. He keeps his head up, however, as he turns and leaves the council chambers. It's only when he reaches the elevator that he realizes they didn't ask him any questions about Iwaizumi.

 

 

 

 

For the first time in a long time, the Black Cat does not feel like home, to Kuroo. As he enters the shop, listening to the light jingle of the bell above the door, he feels a cold sense of dread. Akimoto stands behind the counter, and he doesn't look up as Kuroo approaches.

"Akimoto-san . . ."

"Collect your things and be out of my establishment by closing," Akimoto says flatly, his eyes on the book in front of him.

Kuroo laughs bitterly. "You won't even listen to my side of the story?"

"Your side of the story is irrelevant," Akimoto states, lifting his gaze finally. "The facts are that you summoned a demon in my shop, you allowed it to live here with access to multiple dangerous spell ingredients, and you took it to bed, staining your reputation forever, as well as mine. I thought you had potential, Tetsurou, but clearly I misjudged you. You are no longer my apprentice. Take your things and leave."

Kuroo parts his lips, ready to protest, to explain himself, but he knows that it would be useless. He isn't sure he even wants Akimoto's approval. At one point in his life he craved it, and it feels wrong to dismiss the man's words, but he knows it will do him no good to take them to heart. So instead he simply shakes his head and makes his way toward the stairs.

He's in the middle of packing (the old-fashioned way now that his magic is gone. Damn, is it tedious), when he hears a now familiar knock on the door.

"Come in," he sighs, bracing himself for another lecture.

Yaku steps into the room, raising an eyebrow at the open suitcase on Kuroo's bed. "Why did I just get promoted to Assistant Shopkeeper? Isn't that _your_ job?"

"Congratulations," Kuroo says drily. "Don't forget to water the plant display. They get carnivorous if you neglect them."

"Kuroo, what's going on?" Yaku crosses his arms in front of his chest, frowning.

Kuroo tosses a shirt into the suitcase haphazardly. "Didn't you hear?" He smirks. "I'm a demon-fucker who tarnished Akimoto's glowing reputation."

Yaku blinks at him. "I saw some tweets from an old classmate that works at headquarters that there was a trial for a witch who'd summoned and fucked a demon . . . that was you?"

"Wow, it's on Twitter already? Good ol' social media. Never lets a man down." Kuroo throws another shirt into his suitcase with a little more force than necessary.

"Kuroo . . . we might not be friends, but I know you. You're not the type of guy to break the law just to get off."

Kuroo stares down into his suitcase, his chest twisting painfully. "I . . . kind of thought we were friends," he admits, grinning half-heartedly.

"Co-workers," Yaku corrects, but then he pauses, stepping forward to look up into Kuroo's face. "Or friends. But friends tell each other the truth, right? So what's going on?"

Kuroo closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. "It's Kenma," he says softly.

"The . . . demon is Kenma? Kenma is the demon? Your cousin Kenma?" Yaku sounds bewildered, and Kuroo can't blame him.

He laughs abruptly. "Yeah, my cousin Kenma is the demon I fucked." Grimacing, he sits down on the edge of the bed, sinking into the mattress with a sigh. "But it wasn't like that, you know? It . . ." He runs his hand through his hair, scruffing it lightly. "Kenma is different. He's special. He's not really a demon anymore. He's basically human."

"Can demons become human?" Yaku asks, and Kuroo is surprised to hear genuine curiosity in his voice. When he looks up at him, he sees no judgment either.

"I don't know," Kuroo admits. "But I think Kenma wanted to. He tried so hard . . . I don't even know why."

"Maybe so he could stay with you," Yaku offers.

Kuroo blinks.

"I mean, I'm no expert in demons," Yaku says, holding up his hands. "And I think it was a stupid thing for you to do summoning one in the first place. But I've spent some time around Kenma in the shop, and I saw how much he cared about you. He'd only ever listen to you, for one thing. And the way he always followed you around, never letting you out of his sight . . . I figured it was just because he was shy in a new place, but maybe there was more to it."

"Special," Kuroo murmurs, his chest aching. He remembers how Kenma held him after they fucked ( _No,_ his mind corrects him, _after we made love_ ). He remembers the tenderness in his voice as he declared that what they had done was different from what he'd done before, how it was special.

How long has Kenma considered Kuroo special? Was it right from the moment he spared Kenma from Daishou's malfunctioning banishment spell? Or did he have a different agenda from the start before his feelings grew into affection?

Did that affection grow to love? Does Kenma actually love him?

Kuroo doesn't realize Yaku's spoken again until he clears his thoughts and sees Yaku looking down at him expectantly, hands on his hips.

"What?"

"I asked if you had anywhere to stay tonight." Yaku crosses his arms over his chest. "I mean, my place is kind of small but there's room for a futon if you need it."

"I'll . . . probably go stay at Oikawa's," Kuroo says, realizing he still has no idea where Oikawa and Iwaizumi are. "Thanks, though. I appreciate it." He stands, moving to continue packing.

"At least let me help you pack," Yaku says, shaking his head. "You're going to take all day at the rate you're going."

With a clap of his hands and a short spell, Yaku enchants the suitcase and piles all of Kuroo's belongings into it, including his desk and chair. Kuroo stands back, grateful yet somewhat ashamed of the fact that he couldn't do it all himself.

"Thanks, I owe you one," Kuroo says, picking up the suitcase once it's closed.

"Don't mention it," Yaku says, waving him off. "You got me this promotion, after all. Though, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure it's a good thing. Working under that old bastard isn't going to be fun at all."

Kuroo grins slightly. "Maybe you can hire someone to liven the place up a bit. Make life more interesting for you. Maybe that tall, silver-haired kid who's always poking around in here? You know, the one who never buys anything yet always seems to be around when you're working?"

Kuroo smirks, as Yaku's face grows red. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't," Kuroo waves, as he steps out of the room.

Yaku's sputtering is enough to keep his mood lifted for a little while, but once he's on the train heading back into the suburbs, everything that's happened today hits him like a pillowcase full of bricks, and he hunches down in his seat, staring out the window with a lump the size of the Tokyo Skytree in his throat.

He's never before felt so completely helpless. It was bad enough that day Yuuki came to him and told him that, despite Kuroo's affection, despite Kuroo's best efforts to be a good boyfriend, he'd fallen for Daishou. Yuuki left him willingly. He made a conscious decision that, while Kuroo didn't entirely understand it, he respected because he thought maybe Daishou made Yuuki happier. And he thought, _Yuuki should be with the person who makes him happiest._

But Kenma's being torn from him. Neither of them wants this, neither of them have a choice in this. Kuroo knows he would have let Kenma go if that's what Kenma wanted. If Kenma had said that day in his room to Iwaizumi, "I want to go home." Kuroo would have done what he could to make that happen.

But instead Kenma had said, "Not unless he can come with me."

And Kuroo knew then that, for whatever reason, Kenma wanted to stay with him. He actually _wanted_ him.

Kuroo can't lose Kenma. He doesn't know what he'll do without him.

He'll be alone again, and the reminder of his loneliness and the knowledge that it'll be ten times worse makes Kuroo's chest cave in with pain.

 

 

 

 

 

Oikawa's house is empty when he arrives. The door is still in pieces in the front hall, and the evidence of the coven's intrusion is everywhere. In the upside-down kotatsu table, the open cabinets in the kitchen, the splattered blood on the floor from Hashimoto's wounds.

Kuroo doesn't bother fixing anything. He sits down on the cushions beside the kotatsu and stares at the heater attached beneath the table.

He's not sure how long he sits there in silence, his thoughts splintered across a million different threads, none of which he wants to unravel. But finally there's the sound of a _POP_ , and Oikawa and Iwaizumi appear in front of him, out of thin air.

"Tetsu-chan!" Oikawa cries happily. His voice sounds harsh and dissonant as it breaks the quiet Kuroo's been stewing in for hours.

Kuroo blinks at them, half wondering if he's hallucinating.

"We figured it out! It's not the most _ideal_ answer to our troubles, but if it works out than Iwa-chan will be free!"

Kuroo has no idea what he's talking about, but sudden anger at Oikawa's flippant tone causes him to jump to his feet. He grabs Oikawa by the front of his shirt with a yell, throwing him up against the wall before either he or Iwaizumi can react.

"WHERE WERE YOU?!" he bellows into Oikawa's face.

"Kuroo," Iwaizumi says, stepping up quickly to grab his arm.

Oikawa's eyes are wide with shock, as he looks back into Kuroo's face. Kuroo can't imagine what he looks like right now, frantic, hysterical, tears blurring his vision.

"They came looking for you," Kuroo hisses at Iwaizumi, not taking his eyes off of Oikawa. "They were looking for _Iwaizumi._ But you weren't here, were you? So instead they found him. They found Kenma!"

"Who found Kenma?" Iwaizumi asks, still trying to loosen Kuroo's grasp on Oikawa. "Kuroo, calm down."

Kuroo swings his arm, knocking Iwaizumi a few step back. "Where the fuck were you?!" he demands. "We could've fought back! We could've—but instead you left me here alone, and I couldn't let Kenma kill them. I couldn't—" He shakes his head, the tears cutting off his voice.

"Tetsurou . . ." Oikawa reaches for him, but Kuroo shoves his hand away.

"No. I want to know what's going on. Tell me now."

Oikawa and Iwaizumi exchange a glance.

"I took something from my coven," Iwaizumi starts, pulling something out of his shirt. It's a pendant, a chain on which hangs a glowing emerald crystal, with spirals of gold still swirling inside of it, though as Kuroo watches they slow to a stop and then fade, leaving the stone dull and ordinary. "It's used to open portals into other realms and dimensions. It's how I got to and from Hinokoku. My coven won't let me go without me dying so . . . I figured I could fake my death, escape to a different dimension and lay low until they were all convinced I was truly dead and then come back and stay here with Oikawa."

"We needed to test it out," Oikawa says, apology written all over his face. "To make sure it was safe to use. We didn't think they'd come looking for it so soon, or that we'd be gone for so long . . ."

"Where is Kenma now?" Iwaizumi asks.

Kuroo runs his hand through his hair shakily. "The House of the Eastern Star. They're running some kind of test on him to see if he's truly dangerous or not."

Oikawa inhales sharply. "We have to get him out of there."

Kuroo gives him a side-glance with narrowed eyes. "How exactly are we supposed to do that? You know how heavily guarded that place is. There's wards everywhere. Not to mention the security cameras."

Oikawa gives him a look. "Obviously I'm going to come up with a clever plan."

Kuroo can't help but be skeptical, but he figures there's nothing else he can do, so they might as well try. He helps them flip the kotatsu table right-side up, and the three settle down to work out this "clever plan."

 

 

 

 

 

"Remind me again why _I_ have to be the one to flirt with the receptionist?"

Kuroo peers around the corner to the front desk where a pretty young woman with short blonde hair sits frowning slightly at the monitor in front of her. She looks like she's concentrating on something, and he feels bad for having to interrupt her.

"Because, Tetsu-chan, everyone knows I'm madly in love with Iwa-chan. How would it look if I was caught flirting with another person?"

"You'd look like a shameless flirt, which is what you are," Iwaizumi mutters.

"Rude. I'm only shameless when I'm with you, Iwa-chan~"

"Gag me," Kuroo mutters, making a face.

"Only if you ask nicely."

Shaking his head, Kuroo glances around the corner again, inhaling deeply to steady himself. He's never flirted with a girl in his life that he can remember. He's pretty sure this is going to fail horribly, but for the sake of rescuing Kenma . . .

Squaring his shoulders, he puts on his best grin and saunters his way up to the front desk. The girl doesn't seem to notice him at first; she's so focused on whatever it is she's doing on the monitor. Leaning forward, Kuroo tries to catch a glimpse of what it is she's working on and sees what appears to be a logo for The House of the Eastern Star. She's designing it on Photoshop, and it's actually pretty impressive.

"That's pretty cool," he says, forgetting that she doesn't know he's there.

Shrieking slightly, the girl jumps about three feet in the air, before tumbling out of her chair onto the floor. Yelping himself, Kuroo hurries around the counter to help her up.

"Fuck, I am so sorry," he says, doing his best to reign in the laugh that's threatening to burst forth inappropriately. A snicker makes its way out anyway, and he grimaces, biting his lip to keep any other sound from escaping.

"Who-who are you? Where did you come from?" the girl asks, her brown eyes wide with alarm.

"Sorry, I really should have let you know I was here before saying anything," Kuroo says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes, good," Oikawa says in his ear. "Keep her distracted. We'll let you know when we find Kenma."

"I'm Kuroo, by the way," Kuroo says, sticking out his hand. "Kuroo Tetsurou."

"Y-Yachi Hitoka," the girl says, shaking his hand briefly. Her eyes widen again then, and she snatches her hand back. "W-wait! Aren't you the-the guy! The guy with the demon!" She gasps suddenly and clasps her hands over her mouth. "Are you here to kill me?" she whispers over the tips of her fingers.

"What the fuck?" Kuroo laughs incredulously. "Of course I'm not here to kill you? Why would I try to kill you?!"

"Well, um, so you and your demon friends can take over the House of the Eastern Star?" Yachi offers, twirling a strand of hair around her finger nervously.

Kuroo blinks down at her blankly. "What?"

"S-sorry! I-I didn't mean to suggest you were a-an evil master-lord or anything!"

_Evil master-lord?_

"You're just, um, you're kind of scary-looking and knowing about the demon . . ."

Kuroo runs his hands over his face.

"Is this how you flirt with girls, Tetsu-chan? How embarrassing." Oikawa snickers, and Kuroo has to resist the urge to slap his own ear, knowing that breaking his earpiece would probably lead to Yachi discovering what they're up to.

"I'm not here to take over anything," Kuroo says, wondering if she'll take his word for it. The thought of her calling security on him makes him hasten to prove to her that he's not evil or whatever, so he quickly points to the monitor at the logo. "I was just admiring your logo. Is that a new design for the coven?"

"What? Oh. This? Um, I-I was just playing around with some ideas . . ." Yachi fidgets slightly. "They haven't officially asked me to create anything but, um, I-I'm really into art and graphic design so . . . I don't know. It's silly."

"No, I think it's really cool," Kuroo says, leaning against the edge of the desk. He crosses his arms over his chest and grins down at her.

"Um, you think so?" Yachi asks, the tension in her body loosening some, as she looks between him and the art.

"Yeah," Kuroo says encouragingly. "I think you should pursue it, if that's what you're into."

"Okay, lover-boy, we found Kenma. Get your pretty butt over to classroom 4-C."

"I gotta go," Kuroo says, pushing off the desk. "It was nice meeting you, Yachi-kun!"

"Oh! Um, n-nice to meet you too," Yachi calls after him, as he makes his way quickly down the hall.

"How did you get past the security cameras?" Kuroo mutters, keeping his face turned away from any corners that might hold said cameras.

"Invisibility spell, duh," Oikawa says, and Kuroo can practically hear his eye-roll.

"I'm pretty sure the wards make sure people can't use that spell," Kuroo says pointedly.

"All it took was a little research into what exact wards were put in place, and then I issued a counter-spell."

"A counter-spell. To circumvent a ward put in place by the most powerful witches in our coven."

"I'm not a genius, but I'm not too shabby at magic either." There's a pause before Oikawa adds, "but, um, they will go back up in about five minutes, so you'd better get your ass up here fast."

"I'm coming. I'm coming."

Oikawa snickers softly.

"Don't," Iwaizumi warns.

"I didn't say anything!"

Kuroo has to go up four stories before he finds classroom 4-C, and when he bursts into the room and sees Kenma still trapped in the cage from earlier, his heart leaps into his throat.

"Tetsurou!" Kenma grabs the iron bars, before hissing in pain and releasing them. Oikawa and Iwaizumi stand to the side, and as Kuroo jogs forward, Oikawa gestures to the cage.

"We thought we'd let you do the honors."

Kuroo kneels beside the cage, grabbing the bars with both hands. He hits his forehead lightly against the cage, then, as he remembers one very important detail.

"I don't have my magic," he mutters, his face growing warm.

"You _don't_ have your _mag—_ "

Iwaizumi steps forward, waving his hand over the cage and muttering a spell. Nothing happens. Frowning, Iwaizumi nudges Kuroo out of the way and takes hold of the cage itself. Grunting, he starts pulling at the bars, face twisting with the effort.

Oikawa gasps theatrically, as Iwaizumi's biceps bulge. His scar glows a fiery red, as golden magic swirls around his arms, and he slowly forces the iron to bend until there's enough room for Kenma to crawl out gingerly. Iwaizumi releases the bars then with a gasp, falling back onto the floor. He winces, rubbing at his arms, and Oikawa quickly kneels beside him.

"Iwa-chan is so strong!" he coos, massaging Iwaizumi's biceps for him.

Iwaizumi blushes crimson, but he doesn't shove Oikawa off him. Kuroo would be disgusted with the display, if he didn't currently have an armful of Kenma.

"Hey," he says softly, and he's almost disgusted with his own sappiness, but he can't stop smiling or staring down at Kenma, who he'd been afraid he'd never see again.

Kenma blinks up at him, and a slow smile spreads across his normally impassive features. His sharp teeth glisten, a lavender blush coloring his cheeks, and he ducks his head, embarrassed by his own expression. "Tetsurou," he says again, barely above a whisper, as he buries his face in Kuroo's chest.

"Come on," Kuroo says. "We can cuddle and make out later. Let's get you out of here."

Iwaizumi and Oikawa are already on their feet, but when the four of them start to leave, an invisible barrier knocks them away from the door, causing them to stumble back into the center of the room.

"Fuck," Oikawa breathes, his face pale.

"I thought you said we had five minutes!" Kuroo snaps, turning around to glare at his best friend.

"The wards must've been stronger than I thought," Oikawa says, eyes blown wide.

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE. SECURITY IS ON ITS WAY. STAY WHERE YOU ARE. SECURITY IS ON ITS WAY."

Kenma clasps his hands over his ears, as an annoyingly bright voice booms from somewhere above them. Kuroo hears his heart pounding rapidly in his ears, panic gripping his chest in a vice. He can feel himself struggling to breathe, even as he looks around the room quickly. He runs toward the window on the far side of the room, but before he can reach it he's knocked back, just like before.

"No!" he shouts, slamming his fist against the barrier, though he knows it's useless.

"Kuroo!" Oikawa is at his side, grabbing his shoulder. "Calm down. There's still a way out of this."

"Oikawa, a hoard of witches is going to be here any second, and they're not going to give Kenma a second chance."

"I know," Oikawa says, his face still white as a sheet. "And they're going to send Iwaizumi back to his coven, if they catch him here. Which is why they have to go. Now."

Kuroo blinks rapidly at him, trying to put aside his desperation and fear in order to understand. "Go? Go where?"

But his question is already being answered. As he glances over at Iwaizumi, he sees him standing in the center of the room, hand clutched around the pendant. It's glowing bright green, swirls of golden magic spinning around it. A black sphere begins to form in front of him, growing larger until it surface shimmers, and Kuroo can see through it as though through a window. Only he doesn't see the opposite side of the room. He sees a different place altogether.

It's covered with red sand, black trees rising from the ground with gnarled, bare branches. It's a barren wasteland, and Kuroo can feel the heat from it seeping into the room. He realizes almost immediately what this place is, what this means, and the vice around his heart squeezes even tighter. He looks toward Kenma and finds him staring back, resignation and sadness carved into his features.

"I'm coming with you," he chokes out, stepping quickly toward him.

Kenma shakes his head, reaching up to rest his hand on Kuroo's chest. "You. Stay," he says softly. He points to himself then. "I. Go." He tilts his head, as his hand falls to the side. "Understand?"

"No, I'm not losing you again. No," Kuroo says quickly, grabbing Kenma's arms, even as the tears begin to burn in his eyes.

Beside him, he can hear Oikawa speaking to Iwaizumi, his own voice thick as he embraces his boyfriend tightly.

"I thought we'd have more time," Oikawa says mournfully. "I had a whole list of last date ideas. I had a _speech_."

"Probably best I'm leaving now, then," Iwaizumi says, but the insult is lackluster, and his voice is gruffer than usual.

Kenma reaches up and takes Kuroo's face in both his hands. "You go . . . and you get hurt. Die." Kenma's thumbs gently wipe away the tears that start to escape, his touch gentle, tender.

The alarm continues to blare above them, that overly-pleasant voice reminding them that they're running out of time.

"He's right, Kuroo," Iwaizumi says softly, gripping Oikawa's hand tightly in his free one, even as he steps closer to the portal. "Hinokoku is unforgiving. Without your magic, you won't last a day there."

Kuroo takes Kenma's hands, holding them both to his chest, as he looks down at him, his chest aching with more pain than he ever thought he could feel without actually dying. He leans down, setting his forehead against Kenma's, regretting every decision that led to this moment, to this agony, and yet not regretting a single thing at all.

Kenma closes his eyes, pressing back gently. "Love . . . you," he whispers, his breath ghosting over Kuroo's lips.

Kuroo grips Kenma's hands tighter. "Just . . . tell me that you'll be back. That you'll find a way back."

Kenma leans back to look at him, determination the likes of which Kuroo has never seen on his face before flashing in his large golden eyes. "I will try."

Kuroo doesn't want to let go. He can feel his heart splintering, pieces falling away bit by bit, as Kenma slides his lips softly against Kuroo's in a brief kiss that lingers just long enough for Kuroo to feel the chill of his absence tingle along his skin once he pulls away.

The cold spreads down into his chest, numbing him, turning him into a solid statue of ice, as he watches Kenma take Iwaizumi's outstretched hand. They step through the portal together, and Kuroo catches a glimpse of Kenma's eye, glowing, shimmering, as he glances back once before the portal swallows them whole and disappears.

Not two seconds later, the door bursts open and they're surrounded.

"Let me see your hands!" the leader says, stepping forward quickly. He stops short, as he notices the empty cage. He looks around the room, eyes wide.

"Where is it? Where's the demon?"

"Gone," Kuroo says hollowly, staring at the space Kenma last stood. His voice sounds small, as though he's hearing himself from across a canyon. "He's gone."

 

 

 

 

 

The train ride back to Oikawa's house is silent. After realizing they had no evidence to hold Oikawa and Kuroo, the security team leader let them go. Really, technically, they did the coven a favor. Now they no longer have to worry about a demon or a fugitive. Everything's just dandy for them.

Kuroo stares out the window and does his best to ignore the way Oikawa keeps sniffling beside him. He wants to be angry at him. He wants to blame _somebody_ for him losing Kenma, and Oikawa is a prime candidate considering it was no doubt his stupid idea to steal the portal pendent in the first place. Not to mention, it was he who left Kuroo alone in the shop two months ago, heartbroken and lonely and desperate for companionship.

But really, the only person he can blame is himself.

"I'm such an idiot," he mutters. "I never should've tried to summon that imp. I should've just listened to you and hired Yuuki."

For once Oikawa doesn't gloat about being right. Instead, he curls his pinky around Kuroo's, holding it in a strangely intimate gesture. "You don't mean that," he says, his voice gentler than Kuroo's ever heard it. He sniffles softly. "You loved every second you were with Kenma."

"Yeah," Kuroo admits. "That's why this hurts so fucking much."

Oikawa sniffles again and falls silent.

After a moment, Kuroo holds his pinky back.

 

 

 

 

 

The next few days are spent in abject misery. After fixing the house to how it once was, neither he nor Oikawa change out of their pajamas, and they spend most of their time in front of the TV watching idiotic shows with no interest at all. Their pathetic routine breaks only when Oikawa's older sister, Nakamura Chikara, having heard the entire story through laments made at 02:00 on the bathroom floor, shows up unexpectedly and lectures them about wasting their lives away.

"I know you're both losers, but this is taking things to a whole different level," she says, shaking her head.

"But nee-chaaaaan," Oikawa moans from his starfish position on the floor. "We're in _mourning_."

"Mourning isn't going to bring your boyfriends back, and in the meantime you both still have lives you need to get back to. Tooru, your exam is in less than two weeks. You will never forgive yourself if you let that slip by. And Tetsurou—"

Kuroo holds up his hands. "I have no job and no magic, so I don't exactly know what you expect me to do."

"Get another job, obviously." Chikara stands over them both with her hands on her hips. As Oikawa's older sister she possesses all of his beauty, if not more, and her intimidation tactics are just as potent. She stares down at Kuroo as though he's a bug she can squash beneath her foot, and he shrivels under her gaze.

"Um. Right."

Sighing, she relaxes her stance, her expression softening. "Look, I know you two have been through a lot, and it sucks, it really does. But moping isn't going to change anything. You'll feel better once you get back into your routines."

Kuroo knows from experience, though, that routines do help distract, but they don't take away the pain of loss or the sting of loneliness.

And even after they force themselves to straighten up, Oikawa once more studying and Kuroo interviewing for jobs, nights prove to be just as difficult to get through as before, and Kuroo says nothing when Oikawa crawls into his bed after midnight more often than not.

It's nice to hold someone, even if that someone isn't the person your heart longs for.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

"And here's your latte. Take care." Kuroo gives the patron his best flirtatious smile just to see the kid blush and stammer out a soft "thank you" before scurrying back to his table where his friends nudge and tease him good-naturedly. Kuroo allows himself a brief moment to bask in the warmth of making someone's day, before a familiar ache burns gently in his chest like a simmering coal.

It's been three months to the day since Kenma and Iwaizumi disappeared into Hinokoku, and while things have gotten better in his daily life (this job at the Sunshine Café being one good thing, his parents taking him back with a surprising amount of love and support he feels he doesn't truly deserve, another), he still feels Kenma's absence keenly.

He knows it's strange that he continues to feels so strongly for a person he only knew for a short time. But Kenma was unlike anyone he'd ever met before; anyone he'd ever dreamed of meeting. Even disregarding the whole demon thing, he listened to Kuroo, even when he didn't have to. He let Kuroo lean on him, open up to him, trust him. He took Kuroo's heart and treated it kindly, like it was something to be cherished.

Special.

Every night Kuroo's thoughts turn to him, wondering where he and Iwaizumi are, if they're okay, if they're safe. He knows Oikawa still pines as well, as he often gets texts from his best friend at 01:00, asking what he thinks Iwaizumi is doing, if he thinks he's thinking of Oikawa, if he's missing him.

Kuroo finds himself wondering the same of Kenma.

The door to the café opens with a jingle, and Kuroo responds automatically before realizing who just walked in. "Hello, welcome to Sunshine Caf . . ." he trails off, as he sees Daishou Suguru, of all people, standing in front of the counter wearing a faint smirk.

"So this is what you downgraded to, huh? Serving coffee?"

Kuroo grips the edge of the counter, mentally counting to ten before replying. "What can I get for you?" he asks, keeping his voice pleasant, even as his smile tightens.

The smirk disappears, as Daishou looks off to the side. "I heard about what happened. With your demon, I mean."

"Yo, Hinata!" Kuroo gestures to his co-worker, who comes over eagerly.

"Whatcha need, Kuroo-san?" the orange-haired boy chirps.

"Watch the register for a sec," he says, hopping over the counter then and grabbing Daishou's sleeve to yank him into the hallway that leads to the restrooms.

"Can you not be a dick for, like, five seconds?" he gripes under his breath once he's sure no one can hear them. "What are you doing here?"

"You disappeared. They said at the shop you were no longer working there because you fucked a demon (gross, by the way). It took me forever to find you without your magic signature."

"Why the hell would you want to find me? I thought you made your feelings very clear the last time we spoke," Kuroo says, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows. "Something about hating me?"

"Yeah, well," Daishou scratches behind his ear, looking off to the side. "I guess hate is kind of a strong word." He sighs, looking back at Kuroo. "I met someone."

"Congratulations," Kuroo says drily. "Let's hope you treat them better than you treated Yuuki."

"I'm pretty sure she'd kick my ass if I tried a stunt like that with her. But that's why I'm here, actually. I told her what happened with us, she was doing this thing where we had to be honest with each other about past stuff so we can start on the right foot, or whatever, and she said I had to apologize so."

Kuroo blinks, wondering if he's really about to hear an apology from Daishou. After all this time.

"Yeah," Daishou finishes lamely.

Kuroo barks out a laugh. "That's it? That's your apology?"

"I'm not good at this sort of stuff, okay?" Daishou hisses, the tips of his ears growing pink. "I fucked up, okay? And I'm . . . sorry, or whatever."

Kuroo shakes his head. "Thanks, but I'm over it. You're a dick and you hurt me, but I've moved on. What you did to Yuuki was way worse, though. If there's anybody you should be apologizing to, it's him."

"Uh. Yeah, he's next on the list."

"How long is this list?" Kuroo asks, smirking before he can stop himself.

"Shut up," Daishou growls, taking a step back. "Do you accept my apology or not?"

"Sure," Kuroo says with a shrug. Honestly, he hasn't really thought about Daishou at all the past three months, so he's pretty sure any terrible feelings he suffered before because of Daishou are gone now. Or at least they've dissipated enough for him to accept Daishou's rather abysmal apology without any misgivings.

Daishou hesitates before nodding, turning to leave.

"Oh," Kuroo says, realizing there is something else he needs to say in order for him to let Daishou go with a clear conscience. They were best friends once, after all. "Wait."

Daishou stops, turning to look back at him warily.

"I'm glad you've found someone," he says genuinely. "I hope you're happy with her."

Daishou narrows his eyes, like he can't figure out if Kuroo is sincere or not. "Thanks . . ." he says slowly, before turning and leaving quickly.

Kuroo's chest actually feels lighter, as he hops back over the counter to take his place at the register once more. Still, he hopes Yuuki doesn't go easy on Daishou when he goes to apologize, and he wonders if he can pay someone to film how it goes down.

"Thanks for holding down the fort, kid," Kuroo says, ruffling his co-worker's hair.

"No problem!" Hinata replies, grinning up at him. "Oh, hey! Don't you get your magic back today?"

"Yep. Heading over as soon as my shift is over."

"So cool!" Hinata's eyes grow starry. "Everyone keeps saying you're going to team up with Oikawa Tooru and that the two of you are going to be the best monster hunters in Tokyo!"

Kuroo grins. "That's the plan," he says, though he knows Oikawa only asked him because Iwaizumi's not around to partner with him. Still, he's grateful for the opportunity. The coven isn't exactly jumping to assign him missions with his lingering reputation, but considering Oikawa's already made a name for himself by passing his exam with the highest scores the covens' seen so far, the council seems a lot more willing to let him work if he's partnered up with a star student.

"Will you still work here if you do?"

Kuroo smirks. "Where would you be without me?"

Hinata beams.

 

 

 

 

 

The ceremony to return his magic begins and ends without much fanfare. His behavior of the past three month has been carefully monitored, and considering he's always been an upright citizen (with the exception of that one time) the council saw no reason to continue blocking his magic. Nekomata repeats the gesture he made before, setting his first three fingers on Kuroo's forehead.

"I trust you'll make wiser choices from here on out," he says pointedly.

"Yes, sir," Kuroo says respectfully.

Nekomata says the spell, and Kuroo feels the same shock as before, his limbs growing numb as his head tingles. He manages to remain upright this time, though, and when the sensation fades, he feels the familiar warmth of magic swirling through his veins, like he's slowly being submerged in a hot bath. He flexes his fingers and speaks a short spell to create fire, watching the flames dance on his fingertips. He can't help but grin in unbridled glee, as he clenches his fists, extinguishing the flames.

He bows deeply to Nekomata then. "Thank you for this second chance," he says.

"I trust you to not waste it."

 

 

 

 

 

His parents are, of course, overjoyed to see his magic return. His mother cooks him his favorite dinner, and they discuss his plans for the future, and for the first time Kuroo realizes he's actually _excited_ about it. He's not going to be a shopkeeper or a barista his entire life.

He's a licensed witch with powerful magic.

He can actually do some _good_ in the world. Help people in a way he was never able to before.

Maybe he can even help people like Kenma.

If there was one demon that could change, that could be different from the monsters the covens around Japan fear and loathe, then there has to be others. Other mistreated, misunderstood demons who don't want a war with humans. Creatures who just want to be cared for.

To be loved.

Kuroo finds himself thinking on this prospect as he lies in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling as the minutes tick by, his brain working too quickly and loudly to settle into sleep. He's just wondering how to broach the topic with his future partner, when his phone suddenly goes off in a series of loud vibrations.

 **Nerdlord**  
_TETSUTETSUTETSUTESTUS HESHERE HES BACK HES ST_ (12:01)

He can barely read the jumbled mess of characters, but there's only one 'he' Oikawa could be talking about. As he sits up, a singular thought overpowers all others.

_If Iwaizumi is back, does that mean . . ._

A light tap to his left nearly gives him a heart attack. He whips his head around to see a dark figure outside his window, silhouetted against the moonlight. He sees horns, claws, a long, arrow-tipped tail, and a pair of powerful feathered wings moving gently up and down.

Kuroo scrambles out of bed so quickly, that he trips on his sheets and falls on his face. Despite the pain spreading across his forehead and nose, he leaps back up and throws himself on the window, flinging it open.

"Ken—?"

The name has barely started leaving his lips when he finds himself knocked back onto the floor, as the figure hurtles through the window and crashes into him. All the breath leaves his lungs in a _huff_ , but he immediately wraps his arms around Kenma, as he grabs Kuroo's hair and peppers his face with frantic kisses.

"Holy shit, holy shit, you're really here," Kuroo gasps. "You're really here."

He laughs, because otherwise he'd be crying, and he doesn't even care if he's being too loud. Let his parents wake up and find him on the floor of his room with a demon on top of him. He couldn't care less.

Kenma is back.

"Wait, wait, let me—let me look at you," Kuroo pants, pushing Kenma back slightly. He takes his head between his hands, brushing strands of hair away from his face.

Kenma grins, displaying all his sharp teeth, and it's the most beautiful sight Kuroo's probably ever seen in his entire life.

"Happy," Kenma says, purring deep in his chest, as he moves one hand down to trace his fingers over Kuroo's face, which feels like it'll break from smiling so hard.

"Thrilled. Overjoyed. Ecstatic," Kuroo laughs, every care, every worry gone from his mind in this moment.

In this moment, nothing else matters.

"Home," Kenma says then, leaning down to press his forehead against Kuroo's.

Kuroo's chest swells, as he threads his fingers through Kenma's hair, shifting his other arm to wrap around Kenma's waist beneath his wings, holding him as close as he can.

"Home," he agrees.

He's home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The House of the White Rose never found out what exactly happened to Iwaizumi, but honestly, they didn't really care once they realized he wasn't going to use the portal pendant against them, as they were simply happy to have him gone (assholes).
> 
> Yuuki did punch Daishou for being a dick, but he also accepted his apology and is very happy with his new boyfriend Sakunami Kousuke. The incident was filmed and put on Vine, because revenge is a dish best served in a 6 second loop. (It's Kenma's favorite Vine.)
> 
> Yaku decided to take Kuroo's advice and hire the tall silver-haired kid, a decision he regretted immediately. But over time he regretted it less until he didn't regret it at all.
> 
> Kuroo and Oikawa became a monster hunting duo and grew quite famous for their adventures. Iwaizumi and Kenma tag along as their secret, unofficial partners, and together the four of them have defeated (or converted) many monsters.
> 
> And so, they all lived happily ever after.
> 
> Until next time~
> 
> EDIT: some really amazing art was made for this fic! check it out in my Tumblr tag [HERE](http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/tagged/bh-art)
> 
> http://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


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